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Greek livestock disease containment and industry impact

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-18 12:03 UTC → 2026-08-28 10:51 UTC · added removed

In early August 2026, Greek veterinary authorities responded to two separate livestock disease incidents. On 5 August, the Kastoria regional unit imposed a three-tier emergency zoning system around a confirmed sheep pox outbreak in the village of Gérma, Argos Oresitikos. This system established a 5-km protection zone, a 20-km surveillance zone, and a further restricted area, prohibiting the movement of live animals, trade, and grazing while permitting controlled slaughter and transport of animal products. The following day, a surveillance report covering 15 March–22 July 2026 detailed the situation on the island of Lesbos, where a contagious fever continued to affect sheep, goat, and cattle farms. Out of 1,652 sheep and goat farms examined, 182 tested positive (11.02%), and 14 of 56 cattle farms tested positive (25%). While numerous farms within the 10-km protection and broader restricted zones tested negative, General Secretary Spiros Protoplastis noted the study documents a ‘huge challenge’ requiring continuous vigilance and strict bio-security. By mid-August, the broader impact of sheep and goat pox outbreaks became evident, threatening Greece’s $1 billion feta industry. To contain the spread, authorities have required the culling of entire herds, including healthy animals. As of April, By late August, the government had ordered crisis expanded significantly. In Western Achaia, the slaughter of more than 488,000 animals across over 2,600 farms. This has contributed disease caused approximately 25,000 animal deaths, prompting local municipalities to request state financial aid similar to natural disaster relief. In Thesprotia, authorities designated a 17% decline in ‘Forbidden Zone’ requiring rigorous disinfection protocols. In Kastoria, the national sheep population between 2024 and 2025, beginning plague resulted in 1,200 deaths, leading to affect a strict quarantine of nearly the feta supply chain. Farmers entire regional unit. Regional impacts have reported financial hardship due to mandatory culling and restrictions on free grazing, noting significant delays been severe; in receiving promised government compensation. By 17 August, the situation in Kastoria escalated, with eastern part of the sheep country, over 100 farmers reportedly lost entire flocks. While Deputy Minister of Agriculture Albrim Hoxha noted that active outbreaks decreased from 30 to 11, vaccination efforts remain suspended due to EU coordination and goat plague resulting concerns over meat export bans. Despite requests for 500,000 vaccine doses from Turkey, breeders continue to demand immediate intervention to ensure livestock survival. The European Commission has established restrictive zones in Greece, including the death closure of 1,200 animals across two farming units. Consequently, authorities have imposed a strict quarantine slaughterhouses and bans on nearly the entire Kastoria Regional Unit. movement of meat and milk.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-28 10:51 UTC Greek livestock disease containment and industry impact
  2. 2026-08-18 12:03 UTC Greek livestock disease containment and industry impact
  3. 2026-08-18 11:52 UTC Greek livestock disease containment and industry impact
  4. 2026-08-15 03:01 UTC Greek livestock disease containment and industry impact
  5. 2026-08-06 13:02 UTC Greek livestock disease containment

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