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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 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022**
Global Production (ton) 325.558 337.478 338.250 349.149 361.088 366.937 165.906 2022-05-31
Retinato productions **** (ton) 6.022 6.388 6.439 8.882 9.599 6.432 1.962 2022-05-31
Sbiancato productions **** (ton) 2.095 (e) 2.207 (e) 2.215 (e) 2.248 (e) 2.362 (e) 2.455 (e) 1.065 (e) 2022-05-31
Global Production PDO (ton) 317.441 328.883 329.596 338.019 349.127 358.050 162.879  
Production change % *   +3,60% +0,22% +2,56% +3,29% +2,56% -1,32%
Export whole + portioned (ton) 89.644 88.973 94.692 96.443 98.996 104.243 26.351 2022-03-31
Export 75% grated cheese *** (ton) 27.616 32.091 34.328 37.283 38.851 42.796 11.840  
Total Export (ton) 117.259 121.065 129.020 133.726 137.847 147.039 38.191  
Corresponding to the number of wheels ** 2.987.297 3.071.975 3.285.066 3.406.841 3.501.596 3.730.182 968.863  
Export accounts for % of global PDO production 36,94% 36,81% 39,14% 39,56% 39,48% 41,07% 39,42% 2022-03-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   -0,1 +2,3 +0,4 -0,1 +1,6 +6,5
Grated cheese 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Grated export (ton) 36.821 42.788 45.770 49.710 51.802 57.061 15.786 2022-03-31
Export change % *   +16,21% +6,97% +8,61% +4,21% +10,15% +21,97%  

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

Gorgonzola 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Global Production (ton) 54.974 56.793 58.192 60.309 61.205 63.106 24.313 2022-05-31
Production change % *   +3,31% +2,46% +3,64% +1,49% +3,11% -4,44%
Export (ton) 20.316 20.504 21.577 22.717 23.511 24.665 6.450 2022-03-31
Export accounts for % of production 36,96% 36,10% 37,08% 37,67% 38,41% 39,08% 42,66% 2022-03-31
Export/production balance variation (%) *   -0,9 +1,0 +0,6 +0,7 +0,7 +6,1
Asiago, Montasio, Caciocavallo, Ragusano 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Production (ton) 29.288 27.964 27.539 28.307 27.893 31.278 29.782
Export (ton) 1.994 2.050 2.096 1.803 1.875 1.754 1.742
Export accounts for % of production 6,81% 7,33% 7,61% 6,37% 6,72% 5,61% 5,85%
Export/production balance variation (%) *   +0,5 +0,3 -1,2 +0,4 -1,1 +0,2
Source: Consorzi di tutela, ISTAT
* Change from the same period of previous year
** For statistical purposes:
   - the weight of Grana Padano = 38,84 kg
   - the weight of Parmigiano Reggiano = 40,00 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
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Grana Padano 37,88 37,89 38,10 38,22 38,16 38,25 38,52 38,63 38,59 38,74 38,84
Parmigiano Reggiano 41,39 41,40 40,31 40,24 40,22 40,26 40,30 39,92 39,92 39,99 40,00
Average weight (GP+PR)/2 39,64 39,65 39,20 39,23 39,19 39,25 39,41 39,27 39,25 39,37 39,42
Gorgonzola 12,00 11,98 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00 12,00