Diesel at €2.40: Business Losses Mount in Southern Italy
Residents and businesses across southern Italy are continuing to feel the effects of a week-long truck drivers' protest over soaring fuel prices. The industrial action has caused severe fuel shortages and widespread disruption to supply chains.
In Naples, motorists have been forming long queues at petrol stations as frustration grows over the lack of fuel.
"Look around, the situation is critical! We have no future, neither for ourselves nor our children," a motorcyclist said.
"You can't live like this. Most people here are unemployed," a local resident said.
For many transport operators, rising costs have made their businesses increasingly unviable. The strike effectively brought distribution to a standstill in Campania, one of the hardest-hit regions.
"The situation has been serious. There were several blockades throughout southern Italy, particularly in Campania, where petrol didn't leave the refineries for three days," said Angelo Russiello, an employee of Mazzotta Group.
Pasquale Trillicost, a driver with LG Fast, said transport workers had been on the front line day and night but had received insufficient government support. He added that existing laws continued to work against the industry.
The disruption has spread throughout the retail sector, leaving supermarkets struggling to replenish their stocks. Some shoppers encountered shelves that were almost completely empty.
"It's complicated because there's no petrol, no diesel, the supermarkets are completely empty. It looks like the scene of an apocalyptic war," a local resident said.
The fresh food industry has been particularly hard hit, with tonnes of perishable goods spoiling and producers counting their losses. One vulnerable product is the region's renowned Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, made from fresh buffalo milk and dependent on rapid, reliable distribution.
Domenico Raimondo, president of the Consortium for the Protection of Campana Buffalo Mozzarella, said the estimated losses among its 98 member businesses amounted to around 3.2 million euros a day. Over three days, losses reached approximately 10–12 million euros, much of which could not be recovered.
Under growing pressure, the Italian government approved more than 118 million U.S. dollars in tax credits for truck drivers, bringing total government support for the sector to around 600 million dollars.
Industry representatives, however, argue that the measures do not address the underlying problem: the high cost of diesel.
"The government released funds that we were already entitled to; it didn't give any additional money. We want a cap on the price of diesel, because paying 2.30 euros, 2.40 euros a litre is absurd," said Raffaella Mazzotta, owner of Mazzotta Group.
The crisis has highlighted the dependence of regional commerce and food production on road transport. Even a temporary halt in freight distribution can lead to shortages, spoiled goods and substantial financial losses.
