Donald Trump's protectionism is raising a new red flag on the island . Pecorino Romano, the major player in the Sardinian agricultural supply chain , is suffering the most, with a turnover of €460 million, a third of the region's agricultural GDP (€1.2 billion).
" Sales in the US have dropped ," says Gianni Maoddi, president of the Consortium. Close monitoring continues, "although it will take another half year to understand the true impact of the tariffs." Meanwhile, at Coldiretti , director Luca Saba makes no secret of the fact that " we are concerned ," although "optimism remains."
It all began in April 2025, when Trump invented the basic reciprocal tariffs: a 10% premium, which rose to 15% after the August agreement with the EU. "American buyers," Maoddi explains, "sensed that their president would move in that direction, so in those same weeks the rush to buy Pecorino Romano began: 1,841 quintals purchased in April, including for storage, 1,453 in March." This culminated in a 2025 that began with a bang: +21.7% since January. "Then the decline: -50% sales in May ," again compared to the same periods in 2024. " The last official data we have," Maoddi continues, "is from July: orders down 12% .
And now we await the new data.
Meanwhile , Maoddi will be in Rome on Thursday for a meeting "with Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida to discuss the Indigents' Grant." This refers to the government's commitment, "but also that of the Region, to purchase part of the cheese stocks" to be donated to families in need. Councilor Gian Franco Satta will also be attending, and Governor Alessandra Todde may also be present.
