Cyprus’s Halloumi cheese is currently protected in the United States market through a Certification Trade Mark registered by the Republic of Cyprus, rather than through the European Union’s Geographical Indication (GI) system, the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed on Tuesday.
According to sources at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, any US action against the validity of European GIs in the country “would not be expected to harm Halloumi’s marketability in the US market”.
“We naturally stand against any actions aimed at diminishing the value of products protected as GIs, based on the distinctive character of each individual product,” a ministry spokesperson said.
Official figures show that Halloumi exports to the United States in 2024 were valued at €9,594,964, representing approximately 3% of Cyprus’s total Halloumi exports.
The total value of Halloumi exports to all countries, both European and third countries, reached €323,949,410 in the same year.
