The Italian cheese industry continued to perform strongly in early 2025, driven by firm export growth, resilient domestic consumption, and high farmgate prices, despite early signs of a production slowdown.
According to the latest report from research firm Ismea, export volumes and values remain buoyant, with Italy consolidating its position as the world’s second-largest exporter of cheese and dairy by value, surpassing the Netherlands and France in 2024 and trailing only Germany. The sector generated a record €5.4 billion in export revenues last year, equivalent to 658,000 tonnes of product, with particularly strong growth in shipments to the U.S. and the UK. Momentum continued into 2025, with dairy exports rising 13.8% in value and 3.4% in volume in the first quarter.
Despite the upbeat demand picture, production has shown signs of contraction. Italian milk output fell by 1% in the first four months of 2025, following a 1.9% rise in 2024. A similar pattern was seen across Europe, with cow’s milk production declining by 1% year-on-year in the January–April period, with Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Spain all posting reductions.
Prices at the farm level remained elevated. In May, EU-wide farmgate milk prices averaged €53 per 100kg—up 15.4% year-on-year—while in Italy, prices rose 16% in the first five months of 2025. PDO cheeses such as Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano helped support these levels, reaching €11 and €13.30 per kilogram respectively in June, year-on-year gains of 14% and 21%.
Looking ahead, Ismea reports rising confidence among Italian cheese producers, underpinned by strong pricing trends. However, processors remain cautious amid a slight dip in orders and mounting concerns around external demand and geopolitical uncertainty.
