Parmesan Is Under Threat: Italy’s Heat Wave Is Reducing Milk Yields and Increasing Producers’ Costs
27 July 20:48
Extreme heat in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna is threatening the production of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. With temperatures exceeding 40°C, cows are producing up to 10% less milk, and the costs of cooling farms and warehouses are rising rapidly, Reuters reports, as cited by "Komersant Ukrainian".
The hot weather is negatively affecting both the quantity and quality of milk, said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano consortium. According to him, due to the high temperatures, the animals are eating less, lying down more, and producing less milk.
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Production of authentic Parmigiano Reggiano is permitted only in five provinces of Italy. Cows may be fed only grass and hay grown in this region. If there is a lack of rainfall due to drought, the grass does not grow, which jeopardizes feed production and, consequently, milk production.
To protect their livestock from the heat, farmers install fans and water misting systems. This significantly increases electricity costs. During this year’s heat waves, daily electricity consumption at the warehouses where Parmigiano Reggiano ages rose by about 30%, said Giancarlo Ravanetti, director of Magazzini Generali delle Tagliate.
The company is modernizing its cooling systems, improving the thermal insulation of its buildings, and increasing energy production from renewable sources.
Paolo Ganzerli, director of international sales for the GranTerre food group, warned that if extreme weather events become longer and more intense, this will lead not only to a decline in milk quality and volume but also to a further increase in producers’ costs.
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