Extreme heat drives up costs for Italian Parmesan cheese production

Parmesan cheese production faces a significant challenge as extreme heat affects milk quality and quantity, driving up costs for producers. Nicola Bertinelly, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano consortium, explained that temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius cause cows to eat less, resulting in a milk production decrease of up to 10 percent.

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Extreme heat affects milk quality and quantity.

Bertinelly further noted the critical role of rainfall in the region. "If it doesn't rain, the grass doesn't grow, hay cannot be produced, and it is impossible to get the milk needed to make the cheese," he stated, highlighting the dependence on consistent weather patterns for the essential ingredient.

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If it doesn't rain, the grass doesn't grow, hay cannot be produced, and it is impossible to get the milk needed to make the cheese.

Beyond the farm, the aging process of Parmigiano Reggiano, which requires a minimum of 12 months of storage, also incurs higher expenses. Giancarlo Ravanetti, director of two storage facilities, reported a roughly 30 percent increase in daily energy consumption during the summer's intense heatwaves. This rise in energy use is necessary to maintain the specific conditions required for the cheese to mature properly.

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Under this summer's strong heatwaves, our daily energy consumption increased by about 30 percent.