Awidespread outbreak of sheep pox is putting severe pressure on Greece’s feta industry,
Awidespread outbreak of sheep pox is putting severe pressure on Greece’s feta industry, a sector often described as the country’s “white gold”. The issue drew international attention after being featured by the BBC, highlighting the escalating impact on farmers, production and exports.
Hundreds of thousands of sheep and goats have been culled across the country to contain the disease. The loss is devastating not only economically but also emotionally. Anastasia Siourtou, a veterinarian and farm owner in Thessaly, told BBC that witnessing the culling of her animals was “very hard”, saying she felt she had failed to protect them.
Rapid spread across the country
Sheep pox is a viral infection that first appeared in northern Greece in August 2024 and has since spread widely. By mid-November, officials had recorded 1,702 cases, according to the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.
Detection of a single case requires the entire herd to be destroyed as a precaution. Approximately 417,000 sheep and goats—around 4–5% of the national population—have already been culled.
Threat to feta production and exports
Feta is a Protected Designation of Origin product within the European Union, meaning it must be produced in Greece using at least 70% sheep’s milk and
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