The agriculture sector, particularly livestock, dairy, and meat, was among the hardest hit by the power interruption, which lasted for 12 hours and severely affected perishable goods reliant on refrigeration.

The Confederação das Cooperativas Agrícolas reported that the dairy and dairy products sector incurred losses of at least three million euros due to the outage, encompassing damages, logistical challenges, and industry disruptions.

In the meat sector, slaughter and processing units had to shut down due to lack of refrigeration, leading to significant losses, although specific figures have yet to be calculated.

The blackout caused significant disruptions, including closed airports, transport congestion in major cities, and fuel shortages, severely impacting daily life.

Minister of Agriculture José Manuel Fernandes acknowledged the disruptions at the Ovibeja agricultural fair, confirming that the government is assessing the damage but has not committed to financial support for affected farmers.

A widespread power outage began at 11:33 AM on April 28, 2025, affecting all of mainland Portugal, Spain, and parts of southern France, with authorities yet to provide an explanation for the incident.

Graça Mariano, executive director of the Portuguese Association of Meat Industries (APIC), noted that automated slaughter lines rejected carcasses during the outage, impacting unknown numbers of animals destined for consumption.

Many industrial units lacked generators and could not rent them due to high power requirements, resulting in increased operational costs and extended production weeks.

Companies faced additional financial strain as they had to cover employee salaries despite halting production and sales during the outage.

Fernandes mentioned the potential for utilizing European funds and the national budget for support, although decisions will depend on the government's status as it is currently in a caretaker role.

APIC has called for the establishment of specific financial support mechanisms for companies to purchase compatible generators and for energy suppliers to be held accountable for the damages caused.

The association also urged for a more balanced dialogue between regulatory authorities and the production sector to enhance resilience and competitiveness in this essential industry for national food supply.