Greece’s livestock sector is facing one of its worst crises in
Greece’s livestock sector is facing one of its worst crises in decades, as a sheep pox outbreak devastates herds across the country — and the impact is already being felt in the nation’s most famous export: feta cheese.
According to industry estimates, more than 330,000 animals have been slaughtered to contain the virus, which has spread rapidly in regions such as Thessaly, Macedonia, and Thrace. The result has been a sharp decline in sheep’s milk production, the essential ingredient in feta, raising fears of imminent price hikes and supply shortages in the coming months.
Feta Production Under Threat
Dairy cooperatives and cheese producers report that milk deliveries to creameries have fallen dramatically. In some areas, supplies are down by 15%, while in the hardest-hit regions, the drop reaches 40%, according to local dairy industry representatives.
“This will directly affect the next feta production cycle,” said one cooperative president in Central Greece, where 35,000 animals have already been culled. “Entire villages have lost their herds — not a single animal left.”
Two major export-oriented dairies operating in the region have also seen their milk intake fall, threatening both domestic supply and international exports of the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)
Content Original Link:
Read Full article form Original Source OIKONOMIKOS TAXYDROMOS
" target="_blank">Read Full article form Original Source OIKONOMIKOS TAXYDROMOS
