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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 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020**
Global Production (ton) 317.648 316.064 325.558 337.478 338.250 349.149 273.883 2020-09-30
Retinato productions **** (ton) 6.111 7.513 6.022 6.388 6.439 8.882 6.685 2020-09-30
Sbiancato productions **** (ton) 2.521 1.992 (e) 2.095 (e) 2.207 (e) 2.215 (e) 2.248 (e) 1.782 (e) 2020-09-30
Global Production PDO (ton) 309.016 306.559 317.441 328.883 329.596 338.019 265.417  
Production change % *   -0,80% +3,55% +3,60% +0,22% +2,56% +3,60%
Export whole + portioned (ton) 80.616 86.108 89.644 88.973 94.692 96.715 56.226 2020-07-31
Export 75% grated cheese *** (ton) 19.882 23.959 27.616 32.091 34.328 37.395 22.748  
Total Export (ton) 100.498 110.067 117.259 121.065 129.020 134.110 78.974  
Corresponding to the number of wheels ** 2.562.076 2.808.640 2.987.297 3.071.975 3.285.066 3.416.636 2.011.966  
Export accounts for % of global PDO production 32,52% 35,90% 36,94% 36,81% 39,14% 39,68% 36,31% 2020-07-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +3,4 +1,0 -0,1 +2,3 +0,5 -0,6
Grated cheese 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Grated export (ton) 26.509 31.945 36.821 42.788 45.770 49.860 30.330 2020-07-31
Export change % *   +20,51% +15,26% +16,21% +6,97% +8,94% +5,97%  

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

Gorgonzola 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Global Production (ton) 53.322 54.015 54.974 56.793 58.192 60.309 45.257 2020-09-30
Production change % *   +1,30% +1,78% +3,31% +2,46% +3,64% +3,13%
Export (ton) 16.479 18.590 20.316 20.504 21.577 22.394 13.296 2020-07-31
Export accounts for % of production 30,90% 34,42% 36,96% 36,10% 37,08% 37,13% 38,84% 2020-07-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +3,5 +2,5 -0,9 +1,0 +0,1 +0,8
Asiago, Montasio, Caciocavallo, Ragusano 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Production (ton) 28.793 29.203 29.288 27.964 27.539 28.307 27.893
Export (ton) 1.971 1.867 1.994 2.050 2.096 1.803 1.730
Export accounts for % of production 6,84% 6,39% 6,81% 7,33% 7,61% 6,37% 6,20%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   -0,5 +0,4 +0,5 +0,3 -1,2 -0,2
Provolone (PDO and not PDO) 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Production (ton)2 27.857 26.694 26.146(e) 25.536(e) 26.106(e) 5.920 6.159
Export (ton) 4.802 5.138 5.176 5.519 5.803 6.213 6.862
Export accounts for % of production 17,24% 19,25% 19,80% 21,61% 22,23% 104,95% 111,41%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +2,0 +0,5 +1,8 +0,6 +82,7 +6,5
Pecorino (PDO and not PDO) 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Production (ton)1 59.459 54.770 54.256(e) 60.116(e) 66.382(e) 33.845 40.067
Export (ton) 17.972 16.830 16.624 17.042 18.187 22.323 16.189
Export accounts for % of production 30,23% 30,73% 30,64% 28,35% 27,40% 65,96% 40,40%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,5 -0,1 -2,3 -1,0 +38,6 -25,6
Source: Consorzi di tutela, ISTAT
* Change from the same period of previous year
** For statistical purposes:
   - the weight of Grana Padano = 38,59 kg
   - the weight of Parmigiano Reggiano = 39,92 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)
1) Pecorino Romano PDO, others Pecorino PDO (Toscano, Siciliano, Filiano, Sardo) and other sheep cheeses productions, this last estimated from 2014 to 2016 years and not received for 2017 year.
2) Provolone estimated from 2014 to 2016 years and not received for 2017 year.

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
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Grana Padano 37,45 37,58 37,88 37,89 38,10 38,22 38,16 38,25 38,52 38,63 38,59
Parmigiano Reggiano 38,50 39,50 41,39 41,40 40,31 40,24 40,22 40,26 40,30 39,92 39,92
Average weight (GP+PR)/2 37,97 38,54 39,64 39,65 39,20 39,23 39,19 39,25 39,41 39,27 39,25
Gorgonzola 12,00 12,00 12,00 11,98 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00