Exports of Pecorino Romano PDO cheese to the United States — a €170mn market — are under threat following the introduction of a 15% tariff on select European goods. Gianni Maoddi, president of the Pecorino Romano PDO Consortium, told Adnkronos/Labitalia the measure could result in losses of around €24mn for the sector, calling it “a significant and damaging blow.”
The move is particularly notable as the Italian cheese has entered the U.S. market duty-free for the past 140 years. Even during the first Trump administration’s 2019 tariff campaign, Pecorino Romano was exempted after producers successfully argued it posed no competition to domestic products.
PECORINO ROMANO PDO’S STRATEGIC EXPORT AT RISK
The Consortium represents roughly 40 producers and a supply chain involving 8,500 livestock farmers across Sardinia, Lazio, and the province of Grosseto in Tuscany. Production for 2025 is forecast at 39,000 tonnes, with approximately 70% destined for export. The U.S. remains the single largest market, absorbing around 35–37% of total production.
Maoddi warned that the impact of the tariffs would differ across distribution channels. The industrial segment, where Pecorino Romano is used in food manufacturing and sauces, is highly price-sensitive and vulnerable to substitution. “There is a real risk our product will be replaced by cheaper alternatives,” he said.
By contrast, the retail segment — where consumers already pay around $35 per kilogram — is expected to absorb a price increase to $39 with limited impact on demand.
NO DIRECT COMPETITION
Maoddi also underscored that domestic U.S. production of so-called “Romano” cheese — an industrial product made from cow’s milk — has coexisted with authentic Pecorino Romano for decades, further supporting the claim that the two are not in direct competition.
Despite the immediate concerns, the Consortium remains hopeful that the tariff could be lifted or amended. Maoddi expressed optimism that a future review may allow for product-specific exemptions, and said the group is actively engaging with policymakers in both Europe and the U.S.
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