Italy Approves 540 Million Euros to End Mozzarella Strike
The Italian government approved 540 million euros in tax credits to end a truckers' strike that halted buffalo mozzarella production in southern Italy.
A weeklong truckers' strike in southern Italy has paralyzed the buffalo mozzarella industry, causing an estimated 3 million euros in losses in a single day. The protests, sparked by high diesel costs linked to the war in Iran, blocked milk deliveries to dairies in the Naples region and prevented finished products from reaching supermarkets.
Because production standards require buffalo milk to be processed within 60 hours, the blockade forced several dairies to close. Some farmers responded by feeding unused milk to their animals. Pier Maria Saccani, director of the Consortium for the Protection of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP, described the situation as "very, very complex and delicate," noting that on one specific day, "no mozzarella was produced."
In response to the disruption of fuel and food supplies, Premier Giorgia Meloni led an extraordinary Cabinet meeting on Thursday. The Government of Italy approved 540 million euros in tax credits for truckers and farmers, increasing the previous aid package of 434 million euros to stabilize the transport and farming sectors.
