Malas warns concentrated milk output poses systemic risk to halloumi sector

Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus’ halloumi production faces a “systemic risk” because milk output is concentrated in a small number of farms, Professor Stavros Malas said on Saturday.

The foot and mouth disease crisis exposed weaknesses that had accumulated over many years in Cypriot livestock farming, said Malas, who heads the scientific committee tasked with rebuilding the sector.

Need for restructuring

Speaking on CyBC, Malas said the sector had developed without adequate planning.

“In Cypriot livestock farming we did not plan, we improvised,” he said.

He said livestock farming now required a restructuring system supported by proper scientific guidance for professionals. The committee’s recommendations seek to maintain the sector’s export orientation while improving organisation, biosecurity and preparedness for future disease outbreaks and other challenges.

Vaccination and illegal animal trade

Asked about the possibility of the virus returning to the government-controlled areas from the occupied north, Malas said the risk would decrease if vaccination continued and illegal animal trade was stopped.

He said vaccination would remain necessary for many years.

Reconstruction plan

Malas’ comments followed the government’s presentation on Friday of a 12-year, €610.9 million plan to rebuild the livestock sector, prepared by the committee under his leadership.

He told attendees on Friday that the crisis had “exposed existing problems” rather than created them, adding that livestock farming could not simply return to its previous state.

The plan allocates €372.225 million to sheep and goat farming, €134 million to cattle farming and €41 million to biosecurity measures. It also proposes a minimum distance of 300 metres between independent livestock holdings to reduce the risk of future disease transmission.