Cyprus’s halloumi exports will continue uninterrupted despite the foot-and-mouth outbreak, after the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia confirmed they will not impose trade restrictions on the product.
The reassurance came following direct and intensive consultations by Veterinary Services Director Christodoulos Pipis with his counterparts in all three countries. According to official confirmation from the Veterinary Services, none of the three markets will restrict imports of Cypriot halloumi.
The decision rests on the science of halloumi’s production process. According to the Veterinary Services, “the inherent characteristics of halloumi, and in particular the high temperatures reached during its production process, make it practically sterile from the virus.”
The product is therefore considered entirely safe for international trade, despite the animal health crisis affecting livestock units in the Larnaca area.
The three countries have removed Cyprus from their list of foot-and-mouth-free nations, but have exempted halloumi — along with any animal products heat-treated at 70°C for 30 minutes — from their import bans.
What the UK is banning from today
Whilst halloumi remains unaffected, the UK has introduced strict precautionary measures on other categories of Cypriot products, effective today under an OVS Note dated 23 February 2026.
The measures include a suspension of imports of all animals susceptible to the virus — cattle, pigs, sheep and goats — a ban on fresh meat and meat products not subject to specific heat treatment, and a halt on imports of hay and straw from Cyprus.
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