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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 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026**
Global Production (ton) 361.088 366.937 362.148 373.054 382.754 403.476 111.118 2026-03-31
Retinato productions **** (ton) 9.599 6.432 4.259 5.631 5.964 7.906 3.603 2026-03-31
Sbiancato productions **** (ton) 2.362 (e) 2.455 (e) 2.401 (e) 2.418 (e) 2.452 (e) 2.519 (e) 677 (e) 2026-03-31
Global Production PDO (ton) 349.127 358.050 355.487 365.004 374.337 393.051 106.838  
Production change % *   +2,56% -0,72% +2,68% +2,56% +5,00% +2,55%
Export whole + portioned (ton) 98.996 105.691 107.249 112.148 120.967 122.829 9.273 2026-01-31
Export 75% grated cheese *** (ton) 38.851 42.360 47.427 50.831 56.388 59.520 4.934  
Total Export (ton) 137.847 148.051 154.676 162.978 177.355 182.348 14.207  
Corresponding to the number of wheels ** 3.501.596 3.755.865 3.927.405 4.126.873 4.490.638 4.617.068 359.717  
Export accounts for % of global PDO production 39,48% 41,35% 43,51% 44,65% 47,38% 46,39% 40,18% 2026-01-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +1,9 +2,2 +1,1 +2,7 -1,0 -2,2
Grated cheese 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Grated export (ton) 51.802 56.480 63.236 67.774 75.184 79.359 6.579 2026-01-31
Export change % *   +9,03% +11,96% +7,18% +10,93% +5,55% +3,13%  

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

Gorgonzola 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Global Production (ton) 61.205 63.106 60.580 62.147 63.332 64.968 16.859 2026-03-31
Production change % *   +3,11% -4,00% +2,59% +1,91% +2,58% +3,77%
Export (ton) 23.511 24.723 24.721 24.996 26.001 25.445 2.065 2026-01-31
Export accounts for % of production 38,41% 39,18% 40,81% 40,22% 41,05% 39,17% 34,53% 2026-01-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,8 +1,6 -0,6 +0,8 -1,9 -2,4
Asiago, Montasio, Caciocavallo, Ragusano 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Production (ton) 28.307 27.893 31.278 29.782 28.222 27.531 27.292
Export (ton) 1.803 1.875 1.754 1.913 1.793 1.660 1.659
Export accounts for % of production 6,37% 6,72% 5,61% 6,42% 6,35% 6,03% 6,08%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,4 -1,1 +0,8 -0,1 -0,3 +0,1
Source: Consorzi di tutela, ISTAT
* Change from the same period of previous year
** For statistical purposes:
   - the weight of Grana Padano = 38,91 kg
   - the weight of Parmigiano Reggiano = 40,08 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
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Grana Padano 38,16 38,25 38,52 38,63 38,59 38,74 38,84 38,77 38,82 38,91 38,91
Parmigiano Reggiano 40,22 40,26 40,30 39,92 39,92 39,99 40,00 40,00 40,16 40,08 40,08
Average weight (GP+PR)/2 39,19 39,25 39,41 39,27 39,25 39,37 39,42 39,38 39,49 39,49 39,49
Gorgonzola 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00* 12,00*
Notes: * Data from the CSQA Certification Body
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