KARDITSA, Greece — Greece is grappling with a devastating outbreak of sheep and goat pox, forcing authorities to cull hundreds of thousands of livestock and threatening the production of the country’s iconic feta cheese.
Anastasia Siourtou walks through her empty farm in Karditsa, central Greece, where 650 sheep were culled on 12 November following the detection of the disease. “I felt that I failed to protect them,” the veterinarian and farmer says, describing the emotional toll of witnessing the preventive slaughter.
The outbreak, first detected in northern Greece in August 2024, has spread across multiple regions. By mid-November, 1,702 incidents had been recorded, according to the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. Any detected case on a farm triggers the mandatory culling of the entire herd.
So far, approximately 417,000 sheep and goats, or 4-5% of the national herd, have been destroyed. The preventive measure has left farmers facing both financial hardship and emotional distress.
Tassos Manakas, another farmer near Karditsa, saw his 873-strong herd culled in early October. “The shop is closed,” he says bitterly, recalling the silence of his empty barn.
The outbreak comes at a critical time for Greece, where around 80% of sheep and goat milk is used to produce feta, a product with protected designation of origin under EU law. Last year, Greece exported €785 million worth of feta, including €520 million to EU countries and €90 million to the UK.
Small dairies are already struggling to source milk, potentially affecting both supply and prices. “The limited amount of available milk increases production costs and makes it more difficult to maintain current quantities on the market,” says Prof Dimitris Gougoulis of the University of Thessaly’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
The government has faced criticism for its delayed response. A National Scientific Committee for the Management and Control of Sheep and Goat Pox was only established in late October 2025, over a year after the outbreak began.
No lockdown zones were implemented in the first affected areas, and the state veterinary service is reportedly understaffed.
Authorities are offering compensation of €132 to €220 per sheep, depending on age, but farmers argue that payments fall far short of actual losses. Meanwhile, investigations have been launched into illegal transport and burial of infected animals, highlighting lapses in biosecurity measures.
Some farmers are urging the government to allow mass vaccination, citing successful practices in Bulgaria and Turkey. Greek authorities, however, warn that mass vaccination could label the country as endemic for the disease, potentially restricting exports.
Experts note that older vaccines are not fully effective for eradication, leaving vaccinated populations still vulnerable.
The outbreak is further complicated by reports of unauthorized vaccinations, with estimates suggesting up to one million doses may have been administered illegally, distorting the epidemiological picture. Farmers argue that these figures are arbitrary and warn that they could jeopardize Greece’s feta exports.
For affected farmers like Haris Seskliotis, the crisis compounds prior misfortune. After losing 700 sheep to pox following severe floods in 2023, he now sees unused hay rotting in empty pens. Yet, he remains determined to rebuild.
“I am thinking of setting up a new unit with my son for fattening calves. We have not learned anything other than raising herds,” he says, reflecting the resilience of Greece’s farming community.
As the outbreak continues, the Greek feta industry faces an uncertain future, with farmers, authorities, and consumers all awaiting solutions to safeguard both livelihoods and the nation’s famed “white gold.”