Λέσβος: ελεύθερη ξανά η διακίνηση τυροκομικών

From Monday, August 17, 2026, the circulation of mature cheese products from Lesvos to the rest of the country is free again. The restriction had been in effect for the past months due to outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease that had been detected in farms on the island and had been imposed as a measure to limit the spread of the disease. The decision for the removal was taken by the General Directorate of Veterinary Medicine of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. Private individuals and visitors are now allowed to transport products off the island, both by air and by sea. Foot-and-mouth disease is not contagious to humans, but it seriously affects cloven-hoofed animals and imposes strict travel restrictions.

The removal concerns exclusively cheeses matured for more than two months. Feta, Ladotiri, Caseri, Graviera and Kefalotiri are mentioned by name, which are now considered safe. The ripening time is the critical criterion, not the type of cheese: the prolonged ripening, combined with the acidity and salt content, inactivates the virus, which allows the products to be made available without the risk of contagion. Fresh and under-ripened cheeses remain outside the scope of the decision and are still subject to restrictions. The veterinary service sets the two-month limit based on international protocols that determine the inactivation time of the virus in dairy products.

The request for the removal had come from the Lesvos Cheese Producers Association, while the regional governor of North Aegean Kostas Moutzouris had pressed in this direction in his contacts with the Deputy Minister of Rural Development Athanasios Kavvadas. As the regional governor stated, this is a decision “which brings the livestock farming of Lesbos, which must finally be freed from foot-and-mouth disease, closer to normality”. Cheesemaking is one of the island’s main productive industries, with products available throughout the country and closely linked to local livestock. Lesbos has a significant number of small and medium-sized cheese factories, many of which rely on milk from local sheep and goat farms.

The impact of the restrictions was two-fold: in addition to the loss of sales to mainland Greece, the units also faced a storage space issue, as production continued without a corresponding disposition. The lifting is expected to decongest the coolers and allow the market to be supplied smoothly before autumn. Livestock disease measures remain in place and veterinary surveillance continues, as new cases were recorded on the island in the previous days. More in Economy. Producers are asked to comply with biosecurity measures, as the removal concerns only the movement of products and not the restrictive measures in farms.