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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 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023**
Global Production (ton) 337.478 338.250 349.149 361.088 366.937 362.148 310.506 2023-10-31
Retinato productions **** (ton) 6.388 6.439 8.882 9.599 6.432 4.259 4.755 2023-10-31
Sbiancato productions **** (ton) 2.207 (e) 2.215 (e) 2.248 (e) 2.362 (e) 2.455 (e) 2.401 (e) 2.022 (e) 2023-10-31
Global Production PDO (ton) 328.883 329.596 338.019 349.127 358.050 355.487 303.728  
Production change % *   +0,22% +2,56% +3,29% +2,56% -0,72% +2,28%
Export whole + portioned (ton) 88.973 94.692 96.443 98.996 105.691 107.249 73.465 2023-08-31
Export 75% grated cheese *** (ton) 32.091 34.328 37.283 38.851 42.360 47.427 33.653  
Total Export (ton) 121.065 129.020 133.726 137.847 148.051 154.676 107.118  
Corresponding to the number of wheels ** 3.071.975 3.285.066 3.406.841 3.501.596 3.755.865 3.927.405 2.719.869  
Export accounts for % of global PDO production 36,81% 39,14% 39,56% 39,48% 41,35% 43,51% 42,51% 2023-08-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +2,3 +0,4 -0,1 +1,9 +2,2 +1,2
Grated cheese 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Grated export (ton) 42.788 45.770 49.710 51.802 56.480 63.236 44.871 2023-08-31
Export change % *   +6,97% +8,61% +4,21% +9,03% +11,96% +9,16%  

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

Gorgonzola 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Global Production (ton) 56.793 58.192 60.309 61.205 63.106 60.580 51.445 2023-10-31
Production change % *   +2,46% +3,64% +1,49% +3,11% -4,00% +3,09%
Export (ton) 20.504 21.577 22.717 23.511 24.723 24.721 16.333 2023-08-31
Export accounts for % of production 36,10% 37,08% 37,67% 38,41% 39,18% 40,81% 40,51% 2023-08-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +1,0 +0,6 +0,7 +0,8 +1,6 -0,6
Asiago, Montasio, Caciocavallo, Ragusano 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Production (ton) 27.964 27.539 28.307 27.893 31.278 29.782 28.222
Export (ton) 2.050 2.096 1.803 1.875 1.754 1.913 1.793
Export accounts for % of production 7,33% 7,61% 6,37% 6,72% 5,61% 6,42% 6,35%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,3 -1,2 +0,4 -1,1 +0,8 -0,1
Source: Consorzi di tutela, ISTAT
* Change from the same period of previous year
** For statistical purposes:
   - the weight of Grana Padano = 38,77 kg
   - the weight of Parmigiano Reggiano = 40,00 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
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Grana Padano 37,89 38,10 38,22 38,16 38,25 38,52 38,63 38,59 38,74 38,84 38,77
Parmigiano Reggiano 41,40 40,31 40,24 40,22 40,26 40,30 39,92 39,92 39,99 40,00 40,00
Average weight (GP+PR)/2 39,65 39,20 39,23 39,19 39,25 39,41 39,27 39,25 39,37 39,42 39,38
Gorgonzola 11,98 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00
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