Naxos running out of graviera cheese

A consignment of animal feed from Bulgaria is unloaded at the port of Naxos. Farmers on the Cycladic island traveled to Bulgaria in search of food for their animals due to huge shortages in the market. The lack of feed and soaring prices are adversely affecting livestock and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) graviera cheese production. Tellingly, the production of PDO Naxos graviera has fallen about 30%. Breeders have been forced to slaughter large numbers of animals because they have no way to feed them. ‘Our issue is not only the prices that are of course inconceivable, especially with the transport needed for the island. It’s that we do not even find [feed],” said the president of the Agricultural Cooperative Dimitris Kapounis. “This means the animals eat less, do not eat normally and therefore produce less milk,” he explained.