Where are all those that said all TC businesses had to do was to accept trading under the "RoC" tickets...hahahahahha Funny lot
Turkish halloumi under Cyprus seal?
By Leo Leonidou and Marianna Pissa
A TURKISH halloumi producer has been accused of selling and exporting his products under a Greek Cypriot veterinary seal of approval, with the authorities on the island vowing to investigate.
The issue has come to light after a Cypriot PhD student in Denmark noticed in his local supermarket a Turkish-branded halloumi carrying the Cypriot veterinary seal CY 0022 EK, which can only be issued by the Republic’s official services.
Turkish Cypriot and Turkish companies are not eligible to receive the seal for their goods or services.
Acting Director of the Agriculture Department Takis Photiou said the Foreign Ministry would be notified via the Cyprus Embassy in Copenhagen.
“This is a very serious problem, which needs to be looked into. We need to protect our halloumi and find out exactly how this company got its hands on our seal,” he told the Mail.
According to Politis newspaper, the company in question, named Gazi, sells halloumi across Europe, without any authenticity checks taking place.
It’s been claimed that Turkish Cypriot and Turkish halloumi is becoming increasingly popular in the market, subsidised by the Turkish government, meaning it can retail for lower prices.
Last June, the Agriculture Ministry announced it was progressing as scheduled with its application to the European Union to register halloumi under the Protected Designation of Origin scheme. Once received by the EU, a further six-month period must elapse, when other countries have the right to appeal.
But there has been a delay in the application, which was scheduled to be submitted last month, as the Cheese Makers’ Association is still modifying it.
According to Photiou, the delay has come about, “after objections were made to the Association by others interested in halloumi production.”
But he added that the end is in sight. “Next week, the application will be published in the official Government Gazette and from there will be submitted to the EU.”
A major issue in registering halloumi under the PDO term has been an ongoing row over what percentage of each type of milk (cow, sheep and goat) should be used in the product. Since countries like Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Denmark are now producing cheese with the indication ‘halloumi’, this has for a long time been a pressing issue for the industry.
Until PDO status is granted by the EU, Turkish producers can still export the cheese under the name hellim and halloumi, as long as it is not done from the north.
How the system works
PROTECTED Designation of Origin covers the term used to describe foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how.
It is designed to protect the names of regional foods and ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed in commerce as such.
Its purpose is to protect the reputation of regional foods and eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products, which may be of inferior quality or of different flavour.
Products include the names of wines, cheeses, hams, sausages, olives, beers, and even regional breads, fruits, and vegetables.
So, how do producers and processors go about registering a product name? A group of producers must define the product according to precise specifications. The application, including the specifications, must be sent to the relevant national authority, where it will be studied first and thereafter transmitted to the European Commission.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008
Its Sundya mid morning here and am excited for you guys going to the polling booths and praying, that we will have a shift in our Cyprus political situation no matter who gets in. I want nothing more than to see a united Cyprus where all its people live together in harmony.
