Sheep and goat pox cull threatens Greek feta supply and drives up prices
An outbreak of sheep and goat pox has forced Greek authorities to slaughter hundreds of thousands of animals, tightening the milk supply for feta and pushing wholesale prices up about a third.
An aggressive sheep and goat pox outbreak that began in 2024 has led Greek officials to mandate the destruction of entire flocks, affecting more than 2,600 farms and resulting in the slaughter of over 488,000 animals as of April. Survivors face grazing restrictions and must purchase commercial feed, while promised government reimbursements for feed and culled livestock have been slow to arrive. The disease has driven a 17% drop in the national sheep herd between 2024 and 2025, and experts warn that feta production could fall another 11% in 2026, lifting wholesale prices by about 33% to above $11 per kilogram.
Major dairy firms like Roussas Dairy are turning to smaller suppliers at a 10% premium, and restaurants such as Athens' Kriti are seeing retail feta prices rise from around 9 euros to 13 euros per kilo. The government declined EU pressure to vaccinate, fearing a temporary export ban, leaving farmers anxious about future outbreaks. While official reports show a decline in new cases in early 2026, many in the sector doubt the figures reflect the true scale of the problem.
Why it matters
The cull threatens Greece's $1 billion feta industry, raising food prices and jeopardizing rural livelihoods.
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