Blonde Fur
The feta is at risk from the olive oil syndrome. While demand from abroad remains strong and exports increase, critical raw material, sheep milk, decreases and feta prices in retail take uphill.
"The customers of abroad are asking for cheese without asking for price," said the president of the National Interprofessional Organization Feta (EDOF), Michael Sarantis, said at the conference of the Panhellenic Exporters Association.
Sarantis estimated that the feta, currently sold at 12-13 euros a kilo, could reach 16 euros. "Revaluations have already been made and more will be done," he said, rendering almost all of the increase in raw material costs. As he explained, the price received by the farmer for sheep's milk, from EUR 1.50-1,60, is expected to move to EUR 1.80-1,90, a charge passed on to the cost of production and then to the retail price of feta.
At these price levels, turning towards the cheapest white cheeses is already visible. And pressure is not limited to the Greek market. Feta is called upon to maintain its dynamics in European markets, where increased cost of living makes the consumer more price-sensitive.
At the same time, stocks are narrowing. "The stocks are too, too low. Maybe they won't arrive by the end of the year," the president of the EVOF warned.
The milk missing
The lack of raw material is already visible in the official data. In the seven months of January-July 2026 the deliveries of sheep's milk amounted to 545,489 tonnes, compared with 589,115 tonnes in the corresponding period of 2025. This is 43,626 tonnes less, or a drop of about 7.4%.
In goat milk the reduction is much smaller. Traditions were formed at 130,148 tonnes, from 132,062 tonnes to the seven months of 2025, a decline of about 1,4%. Overall, deliveries of sheep and goat milk were about 45,500 tonnes lower than a year ago.
At the same time, prices rise. The average price of sheep's milk reached 1.5703 euros per kilo in July 2025, an increase of 13.2%. In goat milk it was €0,9708, compared to €0,8775 a year earlier, increased by 10.6%.
Michael Sarantis estimates that the overall reduction in sheep's milk will reach about 80,000 tonnes, with the final picture expected in January. This loss is, according to its calculations, translated into a deficit of about 20,000 tonnes of feta.
Under 8 million sheep and goats
Behind the reduction of sheep’s milk lies the great loss of livestock from zoonoses. Michael Sarantis estimated that some 500,000-600,000 animals have been lost and must be replaced, so that production would return to previous levels.
At the same time, he raised the question of the real size of Greek sheep and goat farming. As he said, for years official records have shown figures that, in his assessment, did not respond to the real picture, even reaching 17 million sheep and goats. Today it estimates that the number of sheep is below ECU 8 million.
Two years to restore production
Animal replenishment can be done either by keeping more female lambs in herds, which is already happening, or by importing animals. In the second case, the President of the EVOF requested special attention because of the specifications governing feta production.
His assessment is that it will take at least two years to return sheep's milk production to levels prior to smallpox.
This time may be extended as new cases occur. As he said, two, three or five cases of smallpox are still recorded each week in different regions of the country and each new case goes the attempt to reconstitute the herds about six months back.
The markets won by blood
The closeness in raw material comes at a time of strong export growth. According to the president of the Association of Greek Dairy Industries (SEVGAP), Christos Apostolopoulos, feta exports have increased by 26% over the last four years, while in 2026 they continue at a rate of more than 6.5%.
The risk now is that there is not enough product to serve the demand created. "We will lose markets won in blood," Mr Apostolopoulos warned.
Greek cheese shops have invested significantly in previous years and, according to Mr. Saranti, are now at a very good level throughout the chain. The problem is found in the raw material. "For feta production has a risk. The raw material," he said, setting as priorities the increase of livestock and the biosecurity of the units. In the face of rising milk prices, even increased energy costs are now negligible, as he stressed.
Mr Sarantis stressed the added value of feta, noting that it is not just a question of increasing exports from 110,000 to 150,000 tonnes, but of creating greater value throughout the chain, from the farmer to the final product.
In the same context, he said that as president of the EVOF he would claim more than 3m euros per year for communication and screening actions of feta. It is, as he pointed out, money from the contributions of the sectors of feta and meat themselves to the ELGO and the aim is to strengthen the product's recognition and value.
The other export rally
Next to feta, Greek yogurt evolves into the second major export power of the Greek dairy industry. According to the President of the SEGAP, its exports have increased by 110% over the last three years and by 38% in the last year, with Europe becoming the main market. In jiro terms, yogurt is now approaching feta.
This development has brought to the fore and the controversy surrounding "Greek yogurt".
The battle for "Greek yogurt"
Christos Apostolopoulos argued that only 6% of products that circulate internationally as Greek yogurt correspond to Greek yogurt. For the rest he used the designation "monkey yogurt", arguing that the use of "Greek yogurt" in products of other origin and different production method misleads the consumer and affects the Greek product.
Οι ελληνικές γαλακτοβιομηχανίες έχουν κινηθεί δικαστικά σε διάφορες χώρες και, σύμφωνα με τον πρόεδρο του ΣΕΒΓΑΠ, έχουν κερδίσει υποθέσεις. Όπως είπε, όμως, ο κλάδος δεν μπορεί να προσφεύγει στα δικαστήρια κάθε φορά που εμφανίζεται αντίστοιχη περίπτωση και γι’ αυτό ζητά παρέμβαση τόσο των ελληνικών αρχών όσο και της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής και των αρμόδιων αρχών των κρατών-μελών.
Η υπόθεση περνά πλέον και σε νέο νομικό επίπεδο. Ο ΣΕΒΓΑΠ έχει ξεκινήσει συνεργασία με καθηγητή στο Παρίσι, ειδικευμένο στο ευρωπαϊκό δίκαιο, προκειμένου να εξετάσει νομικές κινήσεις απέναντι σε κυβερνήσεις και αρμόδιους φορείς για τη χρήση της ονομασίας “Greek yogurt”.
