DOP Campania buffalo mozzarella is one of our excellences, but following some imbalances, the Observatory was created to monitor production
The production of DOP buffalo mozzarella from Campania during 2023 showed almost total stability compared to the previous year, with a slight decline of 0.4%, reaching 55,588 tonnes. However, the first months of 2024 marked a more marked flexion, with a 3.8% decrease in production. This decrease was attributed to the difficulties encountered in the markets and the effects of inflation which had a negative impact on the sector.
Despite the reduction in the production of DOP mozzarella, the first quarter of 2024 recorded a significant increase, equal to 3.3%, in the quantity of suitable milk to the protected designation of origin (PDO). This phenomenon has led to a notable excess of over 110 million kilograms of milk suitable for the production of the prestigious mozzarella. This situation generates concerns for the future of the whole dairy supply chain linked to this emblematic product of Italy in the world.
Imbalances in the supply chain and future challenges
The excessive quantity of milk available compared to the production capacity of dairies represents a major challenge for the sector. Currently in the geographical area dedicated to production there are approximately 196,369 lactating buffaloes. The difficulty of dairies in transforming all the milk produced into mozzarella is creating one imbalance that requires innovative solutions to overcome.
To address emerging problems and constantly monitor the market trend of DOP buffalo mozzarella from Campania, the‘Economic observatory on Mozzarella Campana DOP. This initiative was born from the collaboration between the Consortium for the Protection of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO, Nomisma and UniCredit and is aimed at providing updated data and detailed analyzes on the state of the art and future prospects of the sector.
Faced with the production exuberance of milk suitable for PDO and the decline in the production of mozzarella itself, there is an urgent need to find sustainable solutions that can rebalance the supply chain without compromising its quality or integrity. Among the options considered are the increase in the production capacity of existing dairies or the creation of new structures capable of managing surpluses without causing waste or reducing the quality standards that have made Mozzarella Campana DOP famous throughout the world.
The data recently released by the Economic Observatory highlights the immediate challenges that the sector must face and also offers a fundamental knowledge base on which to build effective strategies to guarantee a prosperous future for the Italian dairy tradition emblematically represented by Mozzarella Campana DOP.
