Southern Italy’s dairy sector faced a sudden shutdown on Wednesday when a truckers’ protest over soaring diesel prices blocked the transport of fresh buffalo milk to dairies in the Naples region. The blockade, sparked by the high cost of diesel driven up by the ongoing Iran conflict, prevented the production of the prized buffalo mozzarella, causing an estimated loss of €3 million (about $3.4 million) in a single day.

Impact on the mozzarella supply chain

Buffalo mozzarella, a protected designation of origin (DOP) product, relies on a tightly timed supply chain. Milk must be turned into mozzarella within 60 hours of milking, and farmers have only limited capacity to store the perishable milk. Pier Maria Saccani, director of the Consortium for the Protection of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, said roughly one million liters of milk produced on Wednesday could not be processed because trucks were unable to reach the dairies.

“Yesterday, no mozzarella was produced,” Saccani explained, describing the situation as a “complete production blockade.” He added that farmers were panicking, wondering where to place the milk that could not be turned into cheese.

Government response

During an extraordinary cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government approved new measures to help truckers and farmers cope with higher fuel costs. The package adds €540 million in tax credits for the two groups, up from €434 million previously allocated.

While the tax breaks aim to ease the financial burden, officials said it is too early to determine whether they will end the protest.

Broader cost pressures

Saccani noted that production costs for buffalo mozzarella have risen about 30 percent, driven by higher prices for animal feed, diesel, energy, plastic packaging and transportation. Producers have largely absorbed these increases, limiting price hikes for consumers but squeezing profitability across the supply chain.

Some farmers have resorted to feeding the unused milk to their own livestock, and the transport disruption also threatens supplies of animal feed and diesel needed to keep farms operating.

Industry outlook

Buffalo mozzarella remains a vital industry for Campania, with 2025 production totaling just under 58,000 metric tons and about 37 percent exported, primarily to France. The current blockade underscores the fragility of the supply chain and the importance of stable fuel costs for Italy’s agricultural sector.

Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.