How much cheese does France produce and export?
France is the 3rd largest producer of cheese: 1.7 million tonnes in 2023, 7.5% of the world's 23 million tonnes (FAOSTAT). It is the 4th largest exporter by value: $4.2 billion in 2024, 9.4% of world exports of cheese (HS 0406) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is Germany, which takes 21% of its cheese exports by value.
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France's cheese production
| World rank | Production (tonnes) | Share of world | Ten-year growth | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1.7 million tonnes | 7.5% | -0.3% a year | 2023 |
FAOSTAT Crops and livestock products (QCL), 2023. World total is the sum of reporting countries.
Share of world output over time
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13% | 12% | 10% | 7.7% | 7.5% |
France's cheese exports
| World rank | Export value | Share of world exports | Quantity (tonnes) | Average value per tonne | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | $4.2 billion | 9.4% | 679,538 t | $6,195 | 2024 |
CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 0406 (Cheese and curd).
Where France's cheese goes
| Destination | Value | Share of France's exports |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | $887M | 21% |
| Belgium | $520M | 12% |
| Spain | $399M | 9.5% |
| United Kingdom | $343M | 8.1% |
| Luxembourg | $252M | 6% |
France as a buyer of cheese
France imported $3.1 billion of cheese (HS 0406) in 2024, 7% of world imports, ranked #2. Of its $3.1 billion of cheese imports in 2024, 35% came from Italy and 17% from Germany, among 60 suppliers. Largest sources: Italy (35%), Germany (17%), Netherlands (16%), Belgium (7.6%), Spain (5%).
Cite as: Commodity Origins, "France cheese: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/FRA/cheese/ (CC BY 4.0). Rankings count only countries reporting to the sources named; this page is shown only for top-five producers or exporters with at least 3% of the world total. Report an issue with this page.