The large wheels of Parmesan that fell to the ground, split and compromised are just a slice, albeit a large one, of the damage to agriculture caused by the earthquake. The Italian Confederation of Farmers quantifies these damages at one billion euros and more. The addendums to this sum are over four thousand businesses and corporate structures (in particular stables) damaged or destroyed and with an uncertain future; thousands of workers in the sector at risk; 150 hectares of land cultivated with fruit, vegetables, vines and arable land, at risk due to drought and problems with irrigation systems; dozens of agricultural machinery out of order; hundreds of animals (cattle, pigs, sheep) dead under the rubble.
But “the first emergency – writes the CIA in a note – is represented by the supply chains of Parmigiano Reggiano and Grano Padano. There is the problem of saving a million forms affected by the earthquake”. The problem now is to restart agricultural activities as soon as possible, especially on the eve of the big fruit harvests, and those in the processing plants. More than 1500 agricultural enterprises have suffered irreparable damage and must be completely rebuilt. For some there is also the danger of definitive closure. Added to this picture are the agricultural lands made impassable by the phenomenon of the muddy "liquefaction" caused by the violent tremors of the earthquake and which risk not being cultivable for some time.
As if that weren't enough, there would be “speculative attempts against agricultural businesses, especially those operating in the dairy sector. The price of milk in particular is under fire. Several producers of milk intended for the production of Parmigiano Reggiano sold to private dairies are, in fact, receiving letters from their first buyers who, in addition to canceling the contracts stipulated between the parties, also request payment of the expenses incurred for the greater charges in the transport of milk, due to the problems created by the earthquake. In some cases they even postpone payment for the milk delivered to them by cattle farmers".
