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Italian truck drivers blocked roads in protest against rising fuel and living costs, disrupting supply chains and causing food shortages. The production and transportation of buffalo mozzarella cheese, pasta and many agricultural products was severely affected.
Italy Truckers have blocked roads and highways for nearly a week in protest of rising fuel prices and the cost of living, causing food shortages and emptying store shelves. Retailers said distribution systems have been disrupted and fresh produce is not being delivered on time.rot ;Southern regionMilk Italy’s fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese is facing supply disruptions as shipments are disrupted.
Truck drivers dissatisfied with rising fuel prices launched protests last Friday, which later spread to different parts of southern Italy, causing traffic jams in several places and severe supply chain disruptions. Long queues formed on the A1 motorway near Naples and truck drivers restricted traffic; Trucks and tractors flooded the central square of the northeastern city of Ravenna, and farmers also joined in solidarity. Operations at two regional airports in Calabria were also affected as they were unable to receive aviation fuel supplies.
The industry association representing 100 manufacturers of “Campania Buffalo Mozzarella Protected Origin Certification” said on the 22nd that due to insufficient supply of buffalo milk, member companies were forced to suspend production and have been unable to produce for three consecutive days. Total daily losses are estimated at 3 million euros (US$3.37 million).
ANCD-Conad Group, operator of the Conad supermarket brand, said large quantities of perishable food, including fruit, vegetables, milk and meat, were stuck in trucks and warehouses. Peroni, the group’s president, said, “Freedom to protest must not violate people’s right to fresh food, nor should it destroy the value created by the Italian agri-food supply chain.”
Under normal circumstances, most buffalo mozzarella cheese producers in the countryside around Naples process about 1 million liters of milk every day and produce 250,000 kilograms of fresh cheese; The milk must be turned into cheese within 60 hours of collection. Today, dairy processing plants cannot operate and there is no space on farms to store milk.
Tomato farmers and pasta makers have also been affected. Large pasta makers like Rammo were forced to suspend production as existing stocks ran out and no new wheat crop arrived.
In the Pacino region of Sicily, tomato growers had earlier warned that many tonnes of tomatoes had not been harvested because fresh tomatoes could not be shipped out.
Gas stations in many areas of Italy have run out of fuel. Mayors in the Campania region have warned that the waste crisis is getting worse as waste removal operations are also being affected.
The truck drivers’ strike has increased the pressure on Italy’s Prime Minister Meloni to govern. His government is already dealing with the consequences of violent rioting and looting in Milan and other cities in northern Italy. Government ministers have met truck drivers to defuse tensions and convince protesters to stop.
Summary FAQ
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Truckers dissatisfied with rising fuel prices and the cost of living have blocked several roads and highways since last Friday, causing traffic jams around Naples, traffic jams in the south and blocking fuel supplies at some airports.
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Distribution logistics have been severely disrupted, with vacancies on supermarket shelves and perishable foods such as fruits, vegetables, milk and meat stuck in vehicles or warehouses, unable to be delivered on time and thus rotting or in short supply.
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Campania buffalo mozzarella cheese production has been suspended for three days due to insufficient milk, causing daily losses of an estimated 3 million euros; Due to non-delivery of wheat, even big pasta companies have been forced to stop production.
