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Connection between production and export of some Italian cheese
LOGO UE DOP Here below you will find some Italian Cheeses (mainly P.D.O.) selected for their significant production and export volumes.

In addition to production and export volumes showed on the table here below is reported also the share (%) of export compared with production.
This data together with domestic consumption outlines the product sales trend.

To deepen this topic please consult the EU 27 internal and external trade of EXTRA-HARD PDO CHEESES (Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano) connected with export refunds dynamics where you will find the influence of refund on exports whether they are applied or not.
ITALIAN CHEESES - Comparison between Production and Export - PDO Cheeses
Grana Padano + Parmigiano Reggiano 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024**
Global Production (ton) 338.250 349.149 361.088 366.937 362.148 373.054 236.904 2024-07-31
Retinato productions **** (ton) 6.439 8.882 9.599 6.432 4.259 5.631 3.372 2024-08-31
Sbiancato productions **** (ton) 2.215 (e) 2.248 (e) 2.362 (e) 2.455 (e) 2.401 (e) 2.418 (e) 1.494 (e) 2024-07-31
Global Production PDO (ton) 329.596 338.019 349.127 358.050 355.487 365.004 232.038  
Production change % *   +2,56% +3,29% +2,56% -0,72% +2,68% +2,69%
Export whole + portioned (ton) 94.692 96.443 98.996 105.691 107.249 113.796 49.553 2024-05-31
Export 75% grated cheese *** (ton) 34.328 37.283 38.851 42.360 47.427 50.796 23.381  
Total Export (ton) 129.020 133.726 137.847 148.051 154.676 164.592 72.934  
Corresponding to the number of wheels ** 3.285.066 3.406.841 3.501.596 3.755.865 3.927.405 4.167.744 1.846.811  
Export accounts for % of global PDO production 39,14% 39,56% 39,48% 41,35% 43,51% 45,09% 42,38% 2024-05-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,4 -0,1 +1,9 +2,2 +1,6 +3,1
Grated cheese 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Grated export (ton) 45.770 49.710 51.802 56.480 63.236 67.729 31.175 2024-05-31
Export change % *   +8,61% +4,21% +9,03% +11,96% +7,10% +10,78%  

View the chart: ITALY - Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano, Grated or Powdered Cheese Exports

Gorgonzola 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Global Production (ton) 58.192 60.309 61.205 63.106 60.580 76.430 43.495 2024-07-31
Production change % *   +3,64% +1,49% +3,11% -4,00% +26,16% +0,66%
Export (ton) 21.577 22.717 23.511 24.723 24.721 24.982 10.870 2024-05-31
Export accounts for % of production 37,08% 37,67% 38,41% 39,18% 40,81% 32,69% 33,66% 2024-05-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,6 +0,7 +0,8 +1,6 -8,1 +8,6
Asiago, Montasio, Caciocavallo, Ragusano 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Production (ton) 27.539 28.307 27.893 31.278 29.782 28.222 27.531
Export (ton) 2.096 1.803 1.875 1.754 1.913 1.793 1.638
Export accounts for % of production 7,61% 6,37% 6,72% 5,61% 6,42% 6,35% 5,95%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   -1,2 +0,4 -1,1 +0,8 -0,1 -0,4
Source: Consorzi di tutela, ISTAT
* Change from the same period of previous year
** For statistical purposes:
   - the weight of Grana Padano = 38,82 kg
   - the weight of Parmigiano Reggiano = 40,16 kg
*** It is assumed that 75% of the total exports of Grated Cheeses refer to Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano, and that the average weight of a wheel for Grated Cheese is the same as that of a wheel of Grana Padano + Parmigiano Reggiano (GP+PR)/2
**** For statistical purpose it is assumed that the weight of a "Retinato" Cheese is the same as that of a wheel of Grana Padano and the weight of a "Sbiancato" Cheese is the same as that of a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano (see table below with the average annual weight)

In the table below is shown, for each year, the average weight of a wheel, used for calculating the number of exported Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano wheels:
  Annual average weight of one form (Kg) - Processed by Clal
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Grana Padano 38,10 38,22 38,16 38,25 38,52 38,63 38,59 38,74 38,84 38,77 38,82
Parmigiano Reggiano 40,31 40,24 40,22 40,26 40,30 39,92 39,92 39,99 40,00 40,00 40,16
Average weight (GP+PR)/2 39,20 39,23 39,19 39,25 39,41 39,27 39,25 39,37 39,42 39,38 39,49
Gorgonzola 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 14,76*
Notes: * Data from the CSQA Certification Body