The versatile cheese is used in so many different dishes, so it’s no surprise that so many of us will likely have some in the fridge.
No Italian meal is complete without a generous grating of fluffy parmesan on top. The savoury cheese is perfect for adding depth of flavour to so many dishes, from pasta sauces to scrambled eggs, so it’s no wonder many of us buy it during the weekly shop.
However, producers of parmesan have issued a warning to those who buy it, saying that there could be supply issues on the way.
According to the Grocery Gazette, extreme heat is putting pressure on parmesan production as farmers are being faced with falling milk yields, rising energy bills and worsening drought across northern Italy. This is where parmesan is made, coming exclusively from a specific, tightly regulated area.
A lot of parmesan is produced in the Emilia-Romagna region, where temperatures have been extremely high.
They’ve been climbing above a sweltering 40C, and because of this, the cows are eating less food and subsequently producing less milk.
Milk production has dropped by as much as 10%, which is having a knock-on effect on the amount of parmesan that’s produced.
Authentic Parmigiano Reggiano can only be produced in five Italian provinces, mostly within Emilia-Romagna, using milk from cows fed on locally grown grass and hay.
Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, said the hotter conditions were affecting both the quantity and quality of milk.
“If it doesn’t rain, grass doesn’t grow, hay cannot be produced and it’s impossible to obtain the milk needed to make the cheese,” he said.
But the concerns don’t stop there. The effect is also being felt further along the chain, since warehouses are having to use more power to protect the cheese in the ageing process.
This lasts for at least 12 months, but can also extend beyond three years too.
Producers are worried that more frequent and prolonged extreme weather could ultimately push up prices while affecting the volume and quality of cheese reaching supermarkets.
Where is parmesan made?
Real parmesan cheese can only be made in five specific provinces of Italy:
- Parma
- Reggio Emilia
- Modena
- Bologna (only the area to the left of the Reno River)
- Mantua (only the area to the right of the Po River)
Under strict rules enforced by the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, authentic wheels must be made with raw cow’s milk from local farms where the cows are fed exclusively on locally grown food.
Every wheel is aged for a minimum of 12 months before it can be sold.
