How much cheese does Italy produce and export?
Italy is the 4th largest producer of cheese: 1.2 million tonnes in 2023, 5.3% of the world's 23 million tonnes (FAOSTAT). It is the 2nd largest exporter by value: $5.7 billion in 2024, 13% of world exports of cheese (HS 0406) (CEPII BACI). Its biggest customer is France, which takes 19% of its cheese exports by value.
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Italy's cheese production
| World rank | Production (tonnes) | Share of world | Ten-year growth | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1.2 million tonnes | 5.3% | +1.5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.6% | 7.3% | 6.4% | 5.6% | 5.3% |
Italy's cheese exports
| World rank | Export value | Share of world exports | Quantity (tonnes) | Average value per tonne | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $5.7 billion | 13% | 670,338 t | $8,527 | 2024 |
CEPII BACI international trade database (HS22, V202601), HS 0406 (Cheese and curd).
Where Italy's cheese goes
| Destination | Value | Share of Italy's exports |
|---|---|---|
| France | $1.1B | 19% |
| Germany | $843M | 15% |
| United States | $515M | 9% |
| United Kingdom | $415M | 7.3% |
| Spain | $338M | 5.9% |
Italy as a buyer of cheese
Italy imported $2.8 billion of cheese (HS 0406) in 2024, 6.3% of world imports, ranked #3. Of its $2.8 billion of cheese imports in 2024, 41% came from Germany and 8% from the Netherlands, among 43 suppliers. Largest sources: Germany (41%), Netherlands (8.4%), France (7.9%), Czechia (7.2%), Belgium (5.8%).
Cite as: Commodity Origins, "Italy cheese: production, exports and prices", https://commodityorigins.com/countries/ITA/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.