The Danish Dairy Board has pledged to appeal against a ruling from the EU, which yesterday [Monday] awarded Greece exclusive rights to produce feta cheese.
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Feta from certain regions of Greece was awarded PDO [protected designation of origin] status, giving producers of feta in other countries just five years to find another name for their product or to stop making it.
Feta is also produced in Germany and France, but Danish producers have taken the lead in the campaign to have feta declared a generic product like cheddar or camembert. Denmark exports most of the 30,000 tonnes of feta it makes each year, generating sales worth DKr500,000 (US$63,700)
Athens had long argued that feta should be made only from sheep’s milk, or a mixture of goat and sheep’s milk from animals raised eating grasses and flowers on the rugged Greek countryside.
Speaking on behalf of the Danish Dairy Board, Hans Arne Christensen said yesterday’s announcement was not the final word, adding that he expected a final ruling from the European Court of Justice in two or three years.
