Italian cheese exports to non-EU countries are on the rise. In the first half of this year, Italian dairy producers shipped over 93,000 tons of cheese, valued at €844 million, reflecting increases of 14% in volume and 11% in value compared to the same period in 2023.
According to Assolatte, the Italian dairy industry association, Italy remains Europe’s leading cheese exporter by value, a position it has held uninterruptedly since 2019. By volume, Italy ranks second, behind only Germany.
“This is an extraordinary ascent,” remarks Paolo Zanetti, President of Assolatte. “Just five years ago, we were in fifth place. Through accelerated growth over the past half-decade, we’ve overtaken Ireland, France, and the Netherlands in the first half of this year.”
KEY EXPORT MARKETS
Assolatte’s figures for early 2024 highlight Italy’s dominance as the top European cheese exporter to the United States (19,800 tons), Switzerland (13,100 tons), China (6,070 tons), the UAE (1,700 tons), and Canada (3,750 tons). Italian cheese also holds second in exports to Japan and Australia, with approximately 6,400 and 3,300 tons shipped respectively.
LEADING PRODUCTS
Key contributors to this success include Grana Padano PDO, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, mozzarella, burrata, ricotta, mascarpone, Pecorino, and Gorgonzola PDO.
“Years of investment in non-European markets are now yielding results,” Zanetti says. “However, we are concerned about the future, especially regarding China.” The looming issue is a Chinese investigation into European and national subsidies for dairy, which may allow imported cheese to undercut local prices.
