The Consortium for the Protection of Grana Padano PDO cheese is currently engaging in discussions to shape its forthcoming six-year production plan, outlining quotas from 2025 to 2030. As Stefano Berni, the General Director of the Consortium for Protection, revealed in an interview with Sole 24 Ore newspaper, the plan, slated for approval at the end of November, will display a greater degree of flexibility compared to its triennial predecessors. Envisaged as a strategic growth initiative, the plan aims to culminate in the production of seven million wheels of Grana Padano by 2030 – a notable increase from the 5.45 million wheels produced by Consortium-affiliated dairies in 2023.
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Berni underscores the enduring global appeal of Grana Padano PDO, asserting that by 2030, it will maintain its status as the world’s most consumed PDO product. Highlighting vast untapped growth prospects, he notes that the current milk utilization within the regulated areas barely scratches 50%, suggesting the potential to double production quantities.
GRANA PADANO PDO: EXPORTS AS A DRIVING FORCE
The expansion of the Grana Padano PDO sector will predominantly be fueled by international markets. While exports stood at approximately 400,000 wheels a quarter of a century ago, the figure surpassed two million in 2023, demonstrating a robust volume growth of +5% compared to 2022. Notably, exports already constitute half of the aggregate turnover for Consortium-affiliated dairies, with projections indicating a potential escalation to 60% by 2030.
