Feta Prices Rise in Greece Following Mass Culling of Sheep and Goat Flocks

Industry Pulse News Desk · 2026-08-14

A widespread viral outbreak has forced Greek authorities to slaughter hundreds of thousands of livestock, tightening milk supplies and driving up wholesale feta cheese prices.

ATHENS — Wholesale prices for Greek feta cheese have surged as a severe outbreak of sheep and goat pox forces mass livestock cullings across the country. Government authorities have ordered the slaughter of more than 488,000 animals across more than 2,600 farms to contain the spread of the highly contagious viral disease.

The loss of livestock reduced the national sheep population by 17 percent between 2024 and 2025, significantly straining the raw milk supply required for traditional feta production. Wholesale feta prices reached more than $11 per kilogram by June, representing a 33 percent increase from the same period a year earlier. Industry forecasts project an 11 percent decline in total feta output in 2026.

To contain the disease, agricultural officials mandated the complete eradication of affected herds and imposed strict restrictions on open-air grazing. European Union regulators urged Greece to initiate a livestock vaccination campaign, but national authorities opted against the strategy. Under current trade rules, animal vaccination programs can trigger automatic temporary restrictions on agricultural exports.

Farmers affected by the mandatory culling policies face long-term economic disruption and the loss of specialized breeding stocks. While the government pledged financial assistance for destroyed herds and commercial feed costs, producers have reported delays in receiving compensation payments while facilities remain empty.

The virus spreads through airborne transmission and close contact among animals, though health authorities confirm it poses no risk to human health through dairy consumption. The loss of generationally bred livestock is expected to suppress national milk yields for multiple production cycles.