Parmigiano Reggiano: production is running too fast (+5,2%). The Consortium tightens the rules

The Parmigiano Reggiano production is running too fast and the Consortium is adopting new measures to contain production.

In the first 9 months of the year, production increased by 5,2% while producer prices are hovering around historic highs, above 15 euros per kg (maturation period: 12 months). The price gap compared with Grana Padano widened by 28%.
The Consortium fears that excess supply could exceed absorption capacity, causing repercussions for prices and the profitability of dairies and farmers.
For this reason, the members' assembly approved, almost unanimously, the “Equilibrium Project”, a package of measures for 2026 and 2027 aimed at curbing production growth and safeguarding the supply chain.

Heavy penalties

The plan provides for higher financial contributions for dairies that exceed their allocated production quotas, with amounts of up to 65 euros per quintal in 2027 for those recording the largest overruns. In addition, new restrictions have been introduced, such as a withholding of 5% for those who sell their company quotas outside the supply chain. The entire package will officially come into force as soon as approval is granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, which is expected by the end of the year.

“The measure approved – Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Consortium, stressed – enables us to support more effectively the actions of the marketing plan, both in this final part of 2026 and, above all, for 2027, which will then be discussed at the year-end assembly. It also enables us to strengthen the effectiveness of controls. The central objective of our mandate since 2027 has been to focus on product quality”.

Historic records

The issue of overproduction is not new. Last spring, the Consortium had already intervened to curb excessive production by introducing an additional contribution for 2027 and bonuses of up to 15 million euros to be awarded in 2026 for quintals of lower milk production. “A recipe of blood, sweat and tears,” Bertinelli had said, but it did not curb the production drive.
In 2025, the king of cheeses set two historic records: production soared by 2,7% to around 4,2 million wheels and the average producer price rebounded by 20% to 13,26 euros/kg. Turnover at consumer level reached 3,96 billion, but the high price of Parmigiano compressed demand in Italy (a market that absorbs almost half of the volumes), to the extent that sales plummeted by 10%, although the Consortium stated that this was “in the face of a substantial resilience in turnover”.

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This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.