Meat to show origin

MEAT IN the Cyprus market will from now on be labelled with its country of origin, after the Agriculture Ministry yesterday announced the new harmonised regulations.

Pointing out consumers’ right to know where their products originate from, Agriculture Minister Photis Photiou called on butchers to pay strict attention to the new regulation, warning that those who fail to do so will face strict sanctions.

“Meat labelling has now begun”, said Photiou, adding, “Consumers have the right to know the origin of the meat they are buying and it is now mandatory for our butchers and our supermarkets to have clearly legible labels, showing the consumer where the meat he is buying came from”.

The relevant European directive is extremely strict, he added, and regular checks will be carried out by the Veterinary Services to ensure it is being implemented.

“The checks will begin immediately, and we are sending a plea to everyone to abide to these new instructions and regulations, because the fines will be very strict.

At this moment we are in immediate contact with the Legal Services. We know what we are doing; we are aware what our restrictions are based on the European Directive and we are doing the right thing”.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.