War Disrupts Halloumi Exports, TRNC Producers Face Economic Strain

Meric Avunduk, head of the Dairy Producers and Breeders Union, said that around 30 containers are normally exported from Northern Cyprus each month, with almost all shipments consisting of halloumi.

According to Avunduk, the monthly shipments amount to approximately 850 tonnes of halloumi, generating between $4 million and $4.5 million in revenue. However, exports have now stopped entirely because of the conflict.

“Products that had already been sent have not reached their buyers, and payments have not been received,” Avunduk said.

He added that discussions had been held with officials from the Central Bank of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and that authorities had promised an economic support package to be announced next week.

Producers are calling on the government to introduce urgent and sustainable policies to support the sector.

Avunduk also pointed out that March, April, May and June are the peak months for raw milk production, warning that the sector is facing a serious deadlock. While production continues daily, he said the storage of unsold products is not enough to resolve the crisis, and it remains unclear how long the disruption will last.

Source: Kıbrıs