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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 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025**
Global Production (ton) 349.149 361.088 366.937 362.148 373.054 382.754 179.872 2025-05-31
Retinato productions **** (ton) 8.882 9.599 6.432 4.259 5.631 5.964 2.420 2025-05-31
Sbiancato productions **** (ton) 2.248 (e) 2.362 (e) 2.455 (e) 2.401 (e) 2.418 (e) 2.452 (e) 1.083 (e) 2025-05-31
Global Production PDO (ton) 338.019 349.127 358.050 355.487 365.004 374.337 176.370  
Production change % *   +3,29% +2,56% -0,72% +2,68% +2,56% +2,45%
Export whole + portioned (ton) 96.443 98.996 105.691 107.249 112.148 121.876 29.658 2025-03-31
Export 75% grated cheese *** (ton) 37.283 38.851 42.360 47.427 50.831 56.248 14.437  
Total Export (ton) 133.726 137.847 148.051 154.676 162.978 178.125 44.095  
Corresponding to the number of wheels ** 3.406.841 3.501.596 3.755.865 3.927.405 4.126.873 4.510.124 1.116.478  
Export accounts for % of global PDO production 39,56% 39,48% 41,35% 43,51% 44,65% 47,58% 42,32% 2025-03-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   -0,1 +1,9 +2,2 +1,1 +2,9 +0,2
Grated cheese 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Grated export (ton) 49.710 51.802 56.480 63.236 67.774 74.998 19.249 2025-03-31
Export change % *   +4,21% +9,03% +11,96% +7,18% +10,66% +5,59%  

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

Gorgonzola 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Global Production (ton) 60.309 61.205 63.106 60.580 62.147 63.332 26.439 2025-05-31
Production change % *   +1,49% +3,11% -4,00% +2,59% +1,91% +0,69%
Export (ton) 22.717 23.511 24.723 24.721 24.996 26.188 6.343 2025-03-31
Export accounts for % of production 37,67% 38,41% 39,18% 40,81% 40,22% 41,35% 39,05% 2025-03-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,7 +0,8 +1,6 -0,6 +1,1 -0,8
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 1.643
Export accounts for % of production 6,37% 6,72% 5,61% 6,42% 6,35% 6,03% 6,02%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,4 -1,1 +0,8 -0,1 -0,3 0,0
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
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Grana Padano 38,22 38,16 38,25 38,52 38,63 38,59 38,74 38,84 38,77 38,82 38,91
Parmigiano Reggiano 40,24 40,22 40,26 40,30 39,92 39,92 39,99 40,00 40,00 40,16 40,08
Average weight (GP+PR)/2 39,23 39,19 39,25 39,41 39,27 39,25 39,37 39,42 39,38 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