Italian heat wave threatens Parmigiano Reggiano production

Extreme heat waves with temperatures above 40 °C are hitting Italy’s Emilia‑Romagna region, where the centuries‑old Parmigiano Reggiano cheese can only be produced. The heat reduces cow milk yields by up to 10 %, forcing the animals to eat less, rest more and produce less of the milk that is essential for the cheese.

The higher temperatures have also driven a roughly 30 % rise in daily electricity consumption at the Magazzini Generali delle Tagliate (MGT) storage facilities, where wheels of cheese mature for at least twelve months. Producers have installed fans and misting systems to cool the barns, but the extra cooling has increased operating costs. The industry, worth an estimated €4.5 billion a year and employing thousands, holds more than 500 000 wheels valued at over €300 million, with exports accounting for more than half of sales, the United States being the main market.

To mitigate the impact, MGT is upgrading refrigeration, improving building insulation and expanding renewable‑energy generation, while producers continue to rely on traditional practices such as hand‑hammer testing of the wheels during aging.