Drought in Northern Italy: Po Carries 70 Percent Less Water, Parmesan Producers Battle the Heat

In Scardovari in the province of Rovigo, countless mussels died within a short period of time. In the Goro lagoon in the province of Ferrara, according to the industry, only about ten percent of the clams survived. High water temperatures reduce the oxygen content and at the same time promote the spread of algae, further straining the stocks, according to the Italian fisheries association Confcooperative Pesca.

Consequences for Fisheries and Lagoons

The persistent drought is also intensifying the water shortage in northern Italy along the Po Delta, where in the delta of the Po River the water temperature rose to 32 degrees, reaching levels normally measured only in mid-August. Lake Maggiore is also affected: within one week, the lake's water level dropped by 33 centimeters due to the heat and the resulting accelerated evaporation.

As a short-term relief measure, the regional government of Piedmont plans to discuss the opening of several Alpine dams on Monday. The aim is to channel additional water into the Po River in order to safeguard irrigation of the rice fields. The measure is, however, considered merely a short-term relief.

Parmesan Under Heat Stress

The production of Parmigiano Reggiano, the traditional hard cheese from Emilia-Romagna, is also under pressure. Heat stress directly affects the dairy cows: at temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, the animals produce up to ten percent less milk. Many farmers have installed expensive fans and sprinkler systems to cool their herds, driving energy costs even higher.

Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, told the news agency Reuters: "Extreme Hitze beeinträchtigt die Qualität und die Menge der Milch." The association simultaneously emphasized that Den Parmigiano Reggiano gebe es seit mehr als 800 Jahren und der Käse weiterhin nur nach den strengen Regeln seiner geschützten Ursprungsbezeichnung erzeugt werde: Die Tiere dürfen ausschließlich Gras und Heu aus der Region fressen, jede Laib muss mindestens zwölf Monate reifen.

Economic Significance and Export Markets

The climatic changes are also being felt in the warehouses where the cheese rests on wooden shelves in long rows. Giancarlo Ravanetti, director of Magazzini Generali delle Tagliate (MGT), a subsidiary of the bank Credito Emiliano, reported that during this year's heat peaks the company's daily energy consumption rose by roughly 30 percent. MGT operates two climate-controlled warehouses storing more than 500,000 wheels of cheese worth around 300 million euros – known in the region as "Parmesan banks."

In the aging cellars, specialists inspect each wheel by tapping it with small hammers and judging the sound to detect flaws in the aging process. Paolo Ganzerli, international sales director of the food company GranTerre, warned: "Wenn extreme Wetterereignisse länger andauern und intensiver werden, wird sich das auf Menge und Qualität der Milch auswirken, vor allem aber zu höheren Kosten führen." To Reuters, he added: "Wir wollen nicht die letzte Generation sein, die ihn isst."

The economic dimension of the industry is substantial: the Parmesan industry generates annual revenues of around 4.5 billion euros and is an important economic factor for Emilia-Romagna. In 2025, more than half of production was exported, with the United States as the largest sales market. The climatic strains thus hit a key export-strong industry of the region.

The outlook for the coming weeks remains tense. While the opening of Alpine dams is being deliberated, reserves in the Po continue to decline, and water temperatures in the delta remain at a level unusually high for the season. Industry representatives see the current situation as a warning that adjustments along the entire production chain – from field irrigation and animal husbandry to the cooling of aging warehouses – are becoming increasingly urgent.

The statements of the involved actors from agriculture, the consortium, and the food industry paint a uniform picture: the drought is no longer a temporary phenomenon but is developing into a structural burden for northern Italy's water supply and for one of its most traditional export products.