Say cheese? Not in Italy, where a truckers’ strike has brought mozzarella production to a halt

A truckers' strike in southern Italy has halted the production of buffalo mozzarella, resulting in a significant loss of approximately 3 million euros within 24 hours. The week-long protest is driven by the high cost of diesel, exacerbated by the ongoing Iran war. The disruption extends beyond mozzarella production, as blocked deliveries of basic goods have left gas pumps empty and supermarkets without inventory in much of southern Italy.

Buffalo mozzarella production relies on a tight supply chain, with buffaloes needing to be milked regardless of dairy operations, and milk must be transformed into mozzarella within just 60 hours. The consortium overseeing mozzarella production standards confirms that around 1 million liters of buffalo milk produced on Wednesday couldn't be turned into mozzarella due to the transport blockade.

This loss of 3.4 million dollars is a severe blow to the industry, as dairies have limited capacity to store fresh milk and cannot afford to hold the perishable product for extended periods.

The Italian government has approved tax breaks for truckers and farmers to address higher fuel costs, totaling 540 million euros in financial aid, up from 434 million euros. However, dairy farmers are resorting to feeding part of the unused milk to their animals, as they have no other storage options. The transport disruption also threatens supplies of animal feed and diesel needed to keep farms operational.

Buffalo mozzarella is a crucial industry in the Campania region, particularly around Naples, and in neighboring areas of southern Italy. In 2025, production reached nearly 58,000 metric tons, with about 37% exported, with France being the largest foreign market.