Nicosia, 20 November 2025 – Cyprus’s iconic PDO halloumi has climbed to second place among the country’s exported goods, surpassing pharmaceutical products for the first time, the Cyprus Cheesemakers Association announced today.
Between January and June 2025, exports of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) halloumi reached €201.1 million, representing 11.1% of total exports. This pushed medicines (€174.5 million, 9.7% share) into third position, while fossil fuels and refined oils retained the top spot with €1.10 billion (60.9% of total exports).
“Of the products at the very top of Cyprus’s export list, the only one that is purely Cypriot – made with local raw materials and embodying our tradition and history – is PDO halloumi,” the Association stated, describing cheesemaking as “a stable and powerful pillar of the domestic economy.”
The milestone follows halloumi’s registration as a PDO product in 2020, which has significantly increased its global recognition and value. Local dairies, employing thousands of workers, continue to invest millions of euros in modernisation, international marketing and participation in major food exhibitions worldwide.
Producers also remain on high alert against counterfeit and imitation products, promptly reporting violations to protect the cheese’s reputation on the international market.
The Association stressed that sustained investment and vigilance will be key to maintaining halloumi’s upward trajectory in the years ahead.
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