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Italy: Dairy sector

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Italy has a prominent position in the European dairy industry: it is the largest producer Country of PDO Cheeses.





This Country:
  • accounts for 9,6% of EU milk deliveries (year 2024),
  • exports dairy products, converted into milk equivalent (ME) for the 41,4% of the milk deliveries,
  • accounts for 6,8% of EU dairy exports in ME (year 2024).
The orange links allow a further analysis on TESEO.


Click here to consult the
MILK SELF-SUFFICIENCY map

ITALY: DAIRY SECTOR
(1° January - 31 December)
  x 1.000 ton
RAW MATERIAL AREA 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Cow's Milk
Dairy Farm Structure
Dairy cows ('000 head) (Al 1st December) 1.610 1.631 1.574 1.764
Slaughtered cow ('000) 562 603 512 523 334 326 -2,4% Jan-Aug 2025
Export of Breeding Heifers (HS 01022110 - head) 1.562 4.869 2.582 4.174 2.853 2.079 -27,1% Jan-Jul 2025
Import of Breeding Heifers (HS 01022110 - head) 25.497 17.847 12.207 22.847 16.281 14.814 -9,0% Jan-Jul 2025
Milk production 13.202 13.182 13.059 13.185
± % Over the same period of the previous year -0,2% -0,9% +1,0%
Deliveries to dairies 13.179 13.022 12.931 13.175 10.054 10.025 -0,3% Jan-Sep 2025
± % Over the same period of the previous year -1,2% -0,7% +1,9%
% Protein 3,44% 3,45% 3,43% 3,51% 3,50% 3,44%   Jan-Sep 2025
% Fat 3,76% 3,76% 3,77% 3,96% 3,92% 3,96%   Jan-Sep 2025
Farm-gate prices of raw milk Lombardy (€ x 100 lt, + VAT not incl.) 38,33 51,17 52,79 53,04 52,30 59,65 +14,1% Jan-Oct 2025
± % Over the same period of the previous year +33,5% +3,2% +0,5%
Buffalo's - Goat's - Sheep's Milk
Number of Buffaloes ('000) 409 416 416 437
Buffalo's Milk Production (Cod.Eurostat D1140A) 257 254 254 254
Buffalo's Milk Delivered to dairies (Cod.Eurostat D1140D) 233 234 232 233
Number of Goats ('000) 1.061 1.010 980 911
Goat's Milk Production (Cod.Eurostat D1130A) 61 60 58 58
Goat's Milk Delivered to dairies (Cod.Eurostat D1130D) 43 42 41 41
Number of Sheeps ('000) 6.728 6.568 6.497 5.390
Sheep's Milk Production (Cod.Eurostat D1120A) 477 475 471 476
Sheep's Milk Delivered to dairies (Cod.Eurostat D1120D) 450 449 445 456
Organic milk production (goat, sheep, cow) 552 500 491
DAIRY PRODUCTION ('000 Ton) 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Liquid milk 2.481 2.522 2.510 2.467 1.254 1.289 +2,8% Jan-Jun 2025
Cream 150 149 151 160 78 83 +6,5% Jan-Jun 2025
Butter 98 101 99 104 52 57 +8,5% Jan-Jun 2025
a)Cheese from cow milk 1.197 1.201 1.205 1.215 607 604 -0,6% Jan-Jun 2025
of which:
PDO 495 485 497 509
b)Cheese from other milk 177 158 139 143
of which:
PDO 94 94 97 100
Total Cheese[a+b] 1.374 1.359 1.344 1.359
-Hard cheeses of which: 502 470 472 491
Grana Padano PDO 203 202 212 219 182 195 (e) +7,1% Jan-Oct 2025
Parmigiano Reggiano PDO 164 160 161 163 137 140 (e) +1,8% Jan-Oct 2025
Pecorino Romano PDO (Dairy Season) 32 33 37 39 33 33 -0,1% Oct/24-May/25
Other sheep cheeses PDO (Toscano, Siciliano, Filiano, Sardo) 5,3 4,7 4,7 4,8
- Semi-hard cheeses of which: 96 96 99 97
Provolone Valpadana PDO 15 14 14 15 4,9 4,6 -6,8% Jan-Aug 2025
Fontina PDO 4,0 3,4 3,1 3,8
- Soft cheeses of which: 193 192 215 199
Taleggio PDO 8,7 8,8 8,8 8,7 7,1 7,1 -0,5% Jan-Oct 2025
Gorgonzola PDO 63 61 62 63 52 53 (e) +1,8% Jan-Oct 2025
- Fresh cheeses of which: 583 572 558 572
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO 54 56 56 56 44 46 +4,5% Jan-Sep 2025
I° Classification
- Soft cheese ( Cod. Eurostat D7111) 158 158 168 159
- Medium soft cheese ( Cod. Eurostat D7112) 35 34 48 40
- Medium hard cheese ( Cod. Eurostat D7113) 96 96 99 97
- Hard cheese ( Cod. Eurostat D7114) 473 470 444 462
- Extra hard cheese ( Cod. Eurostat D7115) 29 29 28 29
- Fresh cheese ( Cod. Eurostat D7116) 583 572 558 572
II° Classification
- Cheese from cows'milk (pure) ( Cod. Eurostat D7121) 1.237 1.222 1.207 1.222
- Cheese from ewes milk (pure) ( Cod. Eurostat D7122) 74 74 74 73
- Cheese from goats milk (pure) ( Cod. Eurostat D7123) 7,1 7,2 7,4 7,3
- Others (cheese from buffalos'milk (pure) or mixed cheese) ( Cod. Eurostat D7129) 56 56 56 56
Processed cheese 55 56 56 57
Whey used for cottage cheese 852
Whey used for livestock 2.300
Concentrated whey 1.437
Whey powder and pieces 887
Milk based beverages 5,9 5,7 5,5 5,4
Other fresh products 8,1 7,8 7,1
Fermented milk (Yogurt and others) 284 287 283 265 131 136 +3,6% Jan-Jun 2025
IMPORT 2021 2022 2023 2024 Jan-Aug of which Extra EU
2024
2025
%
2024
2025
%
Bulk milk (NC8 04012099+04012019+04011090) TOP exporters 664 602 856 889
584
563
-3,7%
2,6
1,0
-34,7%
Whole Milk (NC8 04012099) TOP exporters 495 431 595 599
396
403
+1,8%
2,5
0,9
-35,9%
Semi-skimmed milk (NC8 04012019) TOP exporters 3,3 4,0 11 12
8,6
2,5
-71,1%
-
-
-
Skimmed milk (NC8 04011090) TOP exporters 166 167 250 277
179
157
-12,7%
0,1
0,1
+9,9%
Milk packed (NC8 04011010+04012011+04012091) TOP exporters 258 238 213 203
135
137
+1,2%
0,0
0,0
+19,0%
Whole Milk (NC8 04012091) TOP exporters 101 89 75 71
48
53
+12,0%
0,0
0,0
-15,6%
Semi-skimmed milk (NC8 04012011) TOP exporters 130 121 115 104
70
68
-1,6%
0,0
0,0
+40,8%
Skimmed milk (NC8 04011010) TOP exporters 28 27 23 28
18
15
-16,6%
-
-
-
Condensed milk (NC8 040291+040299) TOP exporters 35 34 34 39
26
29
+12,7%
0,0
0,0
-26,0%
Bulk Cream 1) TOP exporters 58 64 70 76
50
47
-6,4%
0,5
0,4
-5,2%
Packed Cream 2) TOP exporters 12 13 14 14
9,0
10
+16,9%
0,0
0,0
+25,6%
Yogurt (HS 040310) TOP exporters 174 167 171 192
132
147
+11,4%
0,0
0,0
-46,2%
Fermented milk (HS 040390) TOP exporters 95 101 108 120
83
98
+18,2%
0,0
0,0
-20,9%
Butter (HS 0405) TOP exporters 69 68 67 67
42
54
+28,5%
3,0
5,5
+48,3%
of which:
Butter 82% (NC8 04051019) TOP exporters 18 18 20 18
10
13
+29,2%
0,0
0,0
-0,1%
Cheese (HS 0406) TOP exporters 516 535 566 580
392
426
+8,8%
10
13
+15,2%
Edam cheese(NC8 04069023) TOP exporters 26 26 28 29
20
19
-7,4%
-
-
-
Emmental (NC8 04069013) TOP exporters 20 23 21 21
14
16
+15,9%
1,3
1,4
+4,1%
Hard cheeses (not PDO) (NC8 04069069) TOP exporters 26 25 28 28
19
21
+10,3%
-
-
-
Fresh cheeses (NC8 04061020)3 TOP exporters 198 215 236 247
167
174
+4,1%
2,6
3,7
+26,8%
Processed cheeses (NC8 040630) TOP exporters 34 35 32 30
19
20
+6,2%
0,4
0,4
-1,1%
Full fat cheeses (NC8 04069087)5 TOP exporters 31 28 30 32
21
25
+20,2%
0,7
1,3
+57,9%
WMP (whole milk powder - HS 040221+040229) TOP exporters 34 35 34 29
19
22
+11,4%
0,6
1,3
+121,8%
SMP (skimmed milk powder - HS 040210) TOP exporters 83 89 87 81
52
60
+14,1%
0,0
0,5
+630,0%
Whey powder (HS 0404) TOP exporters 131 132 146 177
108
145
+34,3%
0,1
0,6
+215,7%
of which:
Sweet dairy Whey (12% protein) e WPC (HS 040410) TOP exporters 89 89 111 137
83
119
+44,4%
0,1
0,6
+215,7%
Casein (HS 350110) TOP exporters 10 7,2 5,6 7,3
4,9
4,7
-3,7%
-
-
-
Caseinates (HS 350190) TOP exporters 2,2 1,9 1,6 1,8
1,2
1,1
-6,7%
-
-
-
Lactose pharmaceutical (HS 170211) TOP exporters 15 15 15 17
12
11
-8,1%
0,3
0,2
-35,9%
Lactose edible (HS 170219) TOP exporters 1,1 2,7 1,8 1,3
1,0
0,9
-12,2%
0,0
0,0
+56,9%
Fat-Filled Milk Powder (FFMP) (HS 190190) TOP exporters 65 89 88 84
58
55
-5,3%
58
55
-3,7%
Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) (HS 350220) TOP exporters 2,5 4,0 3,1 2,7
1,6
3,5
+112,2%
1,6
3,5
+66,9%
Jan-Jul of which Extra EU
Soya-based beverages (protein content >=2,8 %) 21 15 13 15
7,6
14
+81,8%
Soya-based beverages (protein content of <2.8%)
based on nuts, cereals or seeds 		16 31 32 22
14
11
-23,8%
0,0
0,0
-28,1%
Non-alcoholic beverages containing < 0,2% fats
derived from milk or milk products 		2,8 3,9 3,8 4,1
2,5
2,8
+14,0%
0,0
0,1
+904,4%
EXPORT 2021 2022 2023 2024 Jan-Aug of which Extra EU
2024
2025
%
2024
2025
%
Milk packed (NC8 04011010+04012011+04012091) TOP Importers 36 30 30 29
21
17
-16,0%
8,7
7,8
-9,7%
Whole Milk (NC8 04012091)
TOP Importers
23 15 12 9,3
7,1
5,9
-16,4%
4,9
3,7
-24,4%
Semi-skimmed milk (NC8 04012011)
TOP Importers
9,9 8,4 7,7 8,2
5,4
5,9
+10,7%
3,0
3,5
+13,6%
Skimmed milk (NC8 04011010)
TOP Importers
3,5 6,0 9,9 12
8,3
5,6
-32,9%
0,7
0,7
-7,3%
Bulk milk (NC8 04012099+04012019+04011090) TOP Importers 14 17 6,8 6,7
4,7
5,0
+8,0%
0,5
0,2
-47,9%
Condensed milk (NC8 040291+040299) TOP Importers 4,6 2,0 2,1 2,1
1,1
2,7
+144,7%
0,4
1,8
+378,6%
Bulk Cream 1) TOP Importers 17 17 16 14
11
8,1
-27,4%
6,8
3,9
-42,3%
Packed Cream 2) TOP Importers 8,4 14 8,8 11
7,6
9,2
+22,0%
4,4
5,9
+33,6%
Yogurt (HS 040310) TOP Importers 5,8 6,1 6,6 7,2
4,8
4,6
-3,8%
0,9
0,8
-5,5%
Fermented milk (HS 040390) TOP Importers 3,6 2,6 2,8 3,2
2,1
2,6
+24,4%
0,7
1,3
+75,1%
SMP (skimmed milk powder - HS 040210) TOP Importers 8,2 8,1 10 5,3
3,6
5,0
+38,5%
0,7
1,1
+55,0%
Butter (HS 0405) TOP Importers 18 13 18 14
9,3
11
+16,7%
1,7
2,0
+18,8%
Cheese (HS 0406) TOP Importers 536 566 594 649
438
463
+5,6%
125
131
+4,4%
Asiago (NC8 04069075)
TOP Importers
1,9 1,8 1,7 1,7
1,1
1,0
-5,8%
0,6
0,6
-6,4%
Fiore sardo, Pecorino (NC8 04069063)
TOP Importers
22 20 19 20
13
13
+1,7%
9,3
9,5
+2,1%
Fresh cheeses (NC8 04061020)3
TOP Importers
189 204 216 240
168
183
+8,7%
39
40
+0,8%
Grated or powdered cheeses (NC8 04062090)4
TOP Importers
56 63 68 75
50
52
+4,7%
11
11
+5,2%
Gorgonzola (NC8 04064050)
TOP Importers
25 25 25 26
17
17
-1,3%
2,3
2,3
-3,8%
G.Padano DOP e P.Reggiano DOP (NC8 04069061)
TOP Importers
106 107 112 121
79
81
+2,2%
33
34
+1,7%
Provolone (NC8 04069073)
TOP Importers
8,9 8,8 7,9 9,0
6,1
6,0
-0,7%
1,8
1,7
-6,5%
Whey powder (HS 0404) TOP Importers 317 226 201 217
146
181
+24,6%
17
25
+49,0%
of which:
Sweet dairy Whey (12% protein) e WPC (HS 040410) TOP Importers 302 216 196 206
138
156
+12,3%
17
25
+48,9%
Lactose pharmaceutical (HS 170211) TOP Importers 30 28 26 26
17
18
+3,6%
11
12
+3,5%
Fat-Filled Milk Powder (FFMP) (HS 190190) TOP Importers 67 69 65 69
46
49
+6,9%
46
49
+6,9%
Jan-Jul of which Extra EU
Soya-based beverages (protein content >=2,8 %) 35 24 29 30
18
20
+10,6%
3,3
4,2
+28,3%
Soya-based beverages (protein content of <2.8%)
based on nuts, cereals or seeds 		272 295 262 227
140
130
-6,6%
24
29
+18,6%
Non-alcoholic beverages containing < 0,2% fats
derived from milk or milk products 		1,4 1,3 1,4 1,7
0,9
1,2
+27,4%
0,8
1,0
+22,6%
APPARENT DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Butter 150 155 148 157
Cheese 1.355 1.328 1.316 1.289
of which:
Fresh cheeses 591 583 579 579
Fermented milk (Yogurt and other) 543 547 552 567
PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION (Kg) 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025 % Period
Butter 2,5 2,6 2,5 2,6
Cheese 23 22 22 22
of which:
Fresh cheeses 9,9 9,8 9,7 9,7
Fermented milk (Yogurt and other) 9,1 9,2 9,3 9,6
% Self-sufficiency 95,9% 97,1% 96,4% 99,8%
SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS 2021 2022 2023 2024 2024 2025(f) % Period
GDP (gross domestic product) 8,81% 4,97% 0,81% 0,50% 0,50% 0,50% Jan-Dic 2025
CPI (consumer price index) 1,94% 8,74% 5,90% 1,10% 1,10% 1,90% Jan-Dic 2025
Population ('000) 59.236 59.030 58.997 58.971
GDP per capita (U.S. dollars) 35.842 (e) 34.113 (e) 36.812 (e)
GDP per capita (€) * 30.304(e) 32.395(e) 34.045(e)
(e): estimated
* Per capita GDP in Euro is calculated by using the yearly average exchange rate
Informative Note
(f): forecast
n.a.: not available

1) up to 2011/12/31 NC8 04013019+04013039+04013099; from 2012/01/01 NC8 04014090+04015019+04015039+04015099.
2) up to 2011/12/31 NC8 04013011+04013031+04013091; from 2012/01/01 NC8 04014010+04015011+04015031+04015091.
3) up to 2014/12/31 NC8 04061020; from 2015/01/01 NC8 04061030 + 04061050;
4) up to 2014/12/31 NC8 04062090; from 2015/01/01 NC8 04062000;
5) up to 2014/12/31 NC8 04069087; from 2015/01/01 NC8 04069074 + 04069089;
6) up to 2021/12/31 HS 040310; from 2022/01/01 HS 040320;

NOTE:
     - Apparent domestic consumption are calculated using the following formula: Production + Import - Export
     - Per capita consumption are obtained dividing the apparent consumption by the population (Source Eurostat)
     - The self-sufficiency rate is calculated, up to 2024, on the total deliveries of cow’s milk + production of buffalo, sheep and goat’s milk. For 2025 it is calculated only on deliveries of cow’s milk.

SOURCES
Raw material area: Dairy cows: ISTAT; Deliveries to dairies: AGEA; Milk Production, % Protein and % Fat: Eurostat (dataset: apro_mk_colm); Import/Export di Breeding Heifers: ISTAT; Farm-gate milk price in Lombardy: Processed by CLAL; Number of Goats, Sheeps and Bufaloes: Eurostat (dataset: apro_mt_lsgoat, apro_mt_lssheep, apro_mt_lscatl ); Milk Delivered to dairies: Eurostat (dataset: apro_mk_pobta); Milk Production: Eurostat (dataset: apro_mk_farm); Organic Milk Production: Eurostat (dataset: org_aprod);
Dairy production: Processed by CLAL on ISTAT and Protection Consortium data;
Import: ISTAT
Export: ISTAT
GDP and CPI: Intesa Sanpaolo
GDP per capita: International Monetary Found
Population: Eurostat
Note: Self-sufficiency rate = Milk deliveries/(Domestic use in milk equivalent ME)
Domestic use in milk equivalent (ME) = Milk deliveries + Import in ME - Export in ME
The Self-sufficiency rate does not consider the trade of FFMP (fat-filled milk powder) - HS 190190 and the infant milk formula.

Last update: 17-11-2025
NOTE: Access to World Dairy Trade, which also contains the processing of Import / Export of the Italy with MONTHLY UPDATES, is reserved for Supporters of CLAL.it