The possibility of graviera, antotiro and others is serious Greek cheeses sheep’s milk shortage in the market due to weakness breeders enough to feed your animals so that they are well milk production.

Rising prices for animal feed have led livestock farmers across Greece to feed their animals as little as possible. In areas such as Thessaly where there is land, it is possible to produce their own feed and costs can be somewhat limited, although the costs of cultivation and fertilizer are also high, but in the Aegean islands and Crete, livestock production faces a problem. survival.

“Due to the dry, hot climate, fodder crops cannot be grown on the islands, and farmers buy all the fodder. If we add transportation costs to this expense, then the production of sheep milk is now unprofitable, ”emphasizes the president of the National Interprofessional Meat Organization (EDOC) Lefteris Gitsas.

Yesterday the Minister of Rural Development George Georgantas he met with the National Committee for Livestock ETHEAS (National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives) and, as he mentioned, the European Commission has already approved 89 million euros in animal feed subsidies. The minister’s decision, which will determine the details of this assistance, is expected to be made soon, according to the minister, who promised that the money would be credited to breeders during December.

Crete hurts.

“Many herds of productive animals that were still five years old are being slaughtered by breeders because they cannot bear the costs,” says the president of the Rethymnon Agricultural Cooperative.

There are dozens of small cheese factories in Crete, most of which remain closed despite the fact that the cheese making season usually starts in late August and early September. “Producers, fearful of costs, ‘hold back’ and prevent animals from giving birth so that they also have milk,” describes Giorgos Manolakis, owner of a cheese factory in mountainous Rethymnon. “If you have animals that have given birth, you have to feed them better, and of course you have to feed the babies. A lot of expense at today’s feed prices,” he explains. He himself is one of the few cheese makers (there are about 10 of them on the island) who work all year round. But in the last four months (August – November) he received 50% of the amount of sheep’s milk compared to the same period last year. “I have reduced orders a lot. Someone asks me for 10 heads of cheese, and I give 3,” he emphasizes. Producer prices have risen, but again, the rise in prices does not cover feed costs. “Last year I bought milk at 0.92 euros per kilo. Now I give 1.30 euros. For the breeder to “exit”, the price had to reach 1.60. But I need 8 kg of milk to make 1 kg of Gruyère. I am interested in the fact that the buyer has the opportunity to buy it, otherwise it makes no sense,” says Mr. Manolakis.

“Many herds of productive animals (i.e. animals at calving and milking age) that had another five years of potential production are being slaughtered by livestock keepers because they cannot cover the cost of animal feed,” the report said. Yannis Glentzakis, President of the Rethymno Agricultural Cooperative. “A bag of pet food that cost 12 euros last year is 23 euros this year,” he says. “Someone with 300 animals needs 15 bags of feed a day,” he adds. “Everything has become more expensive, and the total cost of production has skyrocketed. Corn from 190 euros per ton, delivered to the port of Rethymno, has reached 380 euros,” he concludes.

Manolis Paterakis, livestock breeder and member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Livestock Association, describes the situation eloquently. “In September 2021, I owe nothing. Now I owe 10,000 euros for electricity. Okay again. Because a lot of people have had their electricity cut off. Costs on the island, like those in the Cyclades, are higher due to transport. But the same is true for those who want to transport the product within the country.

“In the rest of Greece, animal clover costs 27-32 cents per kilo. Here it reaches 50 minutes,” notes O. Grillos Papadakis, President of the Mylopotamos Animal Breeders Association. Animal farmers in Crete “have to travel 80-100 kilometers every day, that is, pay 20-25 euros for petrol,” he adds. And the industry gives a lower price for sheep’s milk in Crete. “Across Greece, sheep’s milk pays 1.65-1.70 euros per kilogram, while in Crete they give us 1.20 euros per kilogram,” says Mr. Papadakis. He describes the subsidy that will come at some point as “crumbs”.

The company explains the discrepancy between prices by the fact that the sheep milk supplied by Hellenic Dairies (Olympos) from Crete’s breeders is not used for making cheeses and in general products with a protected designation of origin (PDO). ) producers of Crete and producers of mainland Greece. Another reason why the company delivers sheep milk from Crete at a lower price compared to mainland Greece is the high cost of transportation.