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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 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021**
Global Production (ton) 316.064 325.558 337.478 338.250 349.149 361.088 254.287 2021-08-31
Retinato productions **** (ton) 7.513 6.022 6.388 6.439 8.882 9.599 4.060 2021-08-31
Sbiancato productions **** (ton) 1.992 (e) 2.095 (e) 2.207 (e) 2.215 (e) 2.248 (e) 2.362 (e) 1.663 (e) 2021-08-31
Global Production PDO (ton) 306.559 317.441 328.883 329.596 338.019 349.127 248.563  
Production change % *   +3,55% +3,60% +0,22% +2,56% +3,29% +2,17%
Export whole + portioned (ton) 86.108 89.644 88.973 94.692 96.443 97.968 49.974 2021-06-30
Export 75% grated cheese *** (ton) 23.959 27.616 32.091 34.328 37.283 39.334 20.259  
Total Export (ton) 110.067 117.259 121.065 129.020 133.726 137.302 70.233  
Corresponding to the number of wheels ** 2.808.640 2.987.297 3.071.975 3.285.066 3.406.841 3.487.746 1.784.051  
Export accounts for % of global PDO production 35,90% 36,94% 36,81% 39,14% 39,56% 39,33% 36,06% 2021-06-30
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +1,0 -0,1 +2,3 +0,4 -0,2 +1,6
Grated cheese 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Grated export (ton) 31.945 36.821 42.788 45.770 49.710 52.446 27.012 2021-06-30
Export change % *   +15,26% +16,21% +6,97% +8,61% +5,50% +4,82%  

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

Gorgonzola 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Global Production (ton) 54.015 54.974 56.793 58.192 60.309 61.205 40.153 2021-08-31
Production change % *   +1,78% +3,31% +2,46% +3,64% +1,49% +1,71%
Export (ton) 18.590 20.316 20.504 21.577 22.717 23.457 11.856 2021-06-30
Export accounts for % of production 34,42% 36,96% 36,10% 37,08% 37,67% 38,32% 39,78% 2021-06-30
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +2,5 -0,9 +1,0 +0,6 +0,7 +0,7
Asiago, Montasio, Caciocavallo, Ragusano 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Production (ton) 29.203 29.288 27.964 27.539 28.307 27.893 31.278
Export (ton) 1.867 1.994 2.050 2.096 1.803 1.875 1.617
Export accounts for % of production 6,39% 6,81% 7,33% 7,61% 6,37% 6,72% 5,17%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,4 +0,5 +0,3 -1,2 +0,4 -1,6
Source: Consorzi di tutela, ISTAT
* Change from the same period of previous year
** For statistical purposes:
   - the weight of Grana Padano = 38,74 kg
   - the weight of Parmigiano Reggiano = 39,99 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
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Grana Padano 37,58 37,88 37,89 38,10 38,22 38,16 38,25 38,52 38,63 38,59 38,74
Parmigiano Reggiano 39,50 41,39 41,40 40,31 40,24 40,22 40,26 40,30 39,92 39,92 39,99
Average weight (GP+PR)/2 38,54 39,64 39,65 39,20 39,23 39,19 39,25 39,41 39,27 39,25 39,37
Gorgonzola 12,00 12,00 11,98 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00