The outbreak of peste des petits ruminants in sheep and goats has caused significant disruption in the food market and is already leading to substantial price increases in meat, milk and feta cheese. More than 263,000 animals have been culled to date, resulting in the loss of approximately 137,000 animals from production during the summer alone. The first impacts are already visible in meat prices, while from December onwards, increases of up to 20% are expected in dairy products, particularly feta cheese.
Higher meat prices in wholesale and retail due to disease outbreak
Livestock farmers report that prices have already started climbing. Until a few months ago, lambs were selling for around €7.50 per kilo, while today the price reaches €9.50. Sheep prices have also increased from €3.50-4.80 to €4.50-4.80 per kilo, and quality differentiations no longer exist – everything sells at higher prices as more than 120,000 animals are missing from the market. This situation directly affects retail prices: sheep leg that cost €8.50-9.50 now reaches €10.50-10.90, while lamb chops that sold for €9-10 now start from €10.50 and can reach €12.50. Lamb and goat meat are also more expensive, with prices ranging from €13 to €16.90 per kilo, compared to a maximum of €14 in July.
Dairy products: Price pressure with feta cheese leading the surge
Although price increases in dairy and cheese products haven’t yet appeared on shelves, they are certain to emerge in the coming months. Feta production has already been completed for this year, so there’s no immediate problem, but increases are expected from December. Large export orders for feta and yogurt also play a significant role, limiting quantities available in the domestic market. Packaged 400-gram feta cheese in supermarkets already shows upward trends: from €6.42 last December, it has reached €6.75.
Milk prices follow suit
Predictions for milk are also concerning. Sheep milk, currently selling around €1.40 per kilo, is expected to reach €1.60 or even €1.80, while goat milk will exceed €1 per kilo from the current €0.85-0.89. If these increases materialize, retail prices for milk and dairy products could rise by at least 15%-20%.
Yogurt price increases
Changes have quickly appeared in yogurt as well. A well-known company increased the price of sheep yogurt from €1.75 for 200 grams to €1.85, while goat milk remains stable at €2.84 per liter.
The spread of the disease outbreak has already created a new wave of price increases in the food market. Consumers are seeing meat prices rise continuously, while new pressures on milk, feta and other cheese products are expected from December. With export demand remaining high, the domestic market faces a difficult period with price increases that appear far from reaching their peak.
