Cheese from milk of sheep, fresh or processed production by country
World production of cheese from milk of sheep, fresh or processed reached 520,392 t in 2023, down 13% over ten years. The largest producers were Spain (14.5%), China (14.4%), Italy (14.2%), together 43% of the world total.
- World production, 2023
- 520,392 t
- 10-year change
- −13%
- Producing countries
- 35
- Largest producer
- Spain
World production, 1961–2023 (tonnes)
Map of cheese from milk of sheep, fresh or processed production, 2023
Share of the world total. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.
Producers ranked, 2023
| # | Country | Tonnes | Share | 10-year change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 75,240 | 14.5% | +47% |
| 2 | China I | 74,811 | 14.4% | +7.5% |
| 3 | Italy | 73,760 | 14.2% | +13% |
| 4 | France | 61,090 | 11.7% | +84% |
| 5 | Syria | 47,528 | 9.13% | −20% |
| 6 | Niger I | 35,196 | 6.76% | +39% |
| 7 | Turkey I | 33,580 | 6.45% | −15% |
| 8 | Iran I | 15,822 | 3.04% | +51% |
| 9 | Sudan I | 13,385 | 2.57% | +1.9% |
| 10 | Afghanistan I | 11,485 | 2.21% | −13% |
| 11 | Jordan I | 8,879 | 1.71% | +26% |
| 12 | Bulgaria | 6,300 | 1.21% | +1.1% |
| 13 | Yemen I | 5,978 | 1.15% | +2.9% |
| 14 | Bolivia I | 5,867 | 1.13% | −11% |
| 15 | Portugal | 5,770 | 1.11% | +28% |
| 16 | Moldova I | 5,327 | 1.02% | +6.1% |
| 17 | Iraq I | 5,317 | 1.02% | +0.2% |
| 18 | Slovakia I | 3,632 | 0.70% | +426% |
| 19 | Romania | 3,360 | 0.65% | +24% |
| 20 | Ukraine I | 2,875 | 0.55% | −74% |
| 21 | Morocco I | 2,458 | 0.47% | −1.2% |
| 22 | Lebanon I | 1,981 | 0.38% | +145% |
| 23 | Mongolia I | 1,963 | 0.38% | +8.8% |
| 24 | Cyprus | 1,640 | 0.32% | +131% |
| 25 | Oman I | 1,396 | 0.27% | +17% |
| 26 | Israel I | 1,301 | 0.25% | +11% |
| 27 | Serbia I | 1,275 | 0.25% | −39% |
| 28 | Albania I | 943 | 0.18% | −21% |
| 29 | Austria | 790 | 0.15% | −22% |
| 30 | Ecuador I | 595 | 0.11% | −41% |
| 31 | Belgium | 240 | 0.05% | — |
| 32 | Croatia | 200 | 0.04% | −80% |
| 33 | Azerbaijan I | 145 | 0.03% | −13% |
| 34 | Hungary I | 93 | 0.02% | −73% |
| 35 | Poland I | 44 | 0.01% | +340% |
E = estimated by FAO, I = imputed by FAO, X = from an external organisation; other figures are official.
How concentrated is production?
The largest producer, Spain, accounts for 14.5% of the world total in 2023; the five largest for 63.9% and the ten largest for 84.9%.
| Year | Top 5 share | Top 10 share | Countries with data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 62.4% | 83.2% | 34 |
| 2005 | 62.5% | 83.5% | 35 |
| 2010 | 69.7% | 88.0% | 35 |
| 2015 | 61.1% | 83.6% | 37 |
| 2020 | 63.2% | 85.3% | 36 |
| 2023 | 63.9% | 84.9% | 35 |
By continent, 2023
| Continent | Production | Share of world | Share in 2013 | 10-year change | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 240,939 t | 46.3% | 52.1% | −23% | 16 |
| Asia | 211,826 t | 40.7% | 36.1% | −2.0% | 14 |
| Africa | 51,039 t | 9.8% | 9.4% | −9.6% | 3 |
| South America | 6,462 t | 1.2% | 1.3% | −15% | 2 |
Sums of country figures; the world total also includes countries without a continent assignment, so shares may not add up to 100%.
Fastest growing and declining producers, 2013–2023
Countries with at least 0.5% of world production in 2023, change over ten years.
Long-term trend, 1961–2023
- Average growth per year, 1961–2023
- +0.5%
- Average growth per year, last 10 years
- −1.4%
- Record year
- 2007 691,312 t
- Largest yearly fall
- 2015 −20%
| Decade | Average per year | vs previous decade |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s (1961–1969) | 421,507 t | — |
| 1970s | 481,402 t | +14% |
| 1980s | 568,866 t | +18% |
| 1990s | 634,955 t | +12% |
| 2000s | 670,864 t | +5.7% |
| 2010s | 550,704 t | −18% |
| 2020s (2020–2023) | 526,897 t | −4.3% |
Questions and answers
Which country produces the most cheese from milk of sheep, fresh or processed?
Spain was the largest producer in 2023 with 75,240 t, 14.5% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
What is the world production of cheese from milk of sheep, fresh or processed?
World production was 520,392 t in 2023, −13% compared with 2013.
Which countries produce the most cheese from milk of sheep, fresh or processed?
In 2023: Spain (75,240 t, 14.5%), China (74,811 t, 14.4%), Italy (73,760 t, 14.2%), France (61,090 t, 11.7%), Syria (47,528 t, 9.1%). Together they account for 63.9% of the world total.
Where does this data come from?
Production and area figures are from FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (dataset Crops and livestock products, release of 23 December 2025). Shares, rankings, changes and averages are calculated by Husfarm.
Related products
About the data
- Figures are production in tonnes as reported to or estimated by FAO for each calendar year; the latest year is 2023.
- Letters next to a country mark figures that are not official national data: E estimated by FAO, I imputed by FAO (filled in by a statistical model), X taken from an external organisation. Treat them as approximate.
- Shares are relative to the FAO world total; ten-year changes compare 2023 with 2013; average growth per year is the compound annual rate between the two years.
- Country series on Husfarm start in 2000; the world series starts in 1961.
Download CSV All countries and years: production and FAO flag.
How to cite: FAO (2025). FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products — Cheese from milk of sheep, fresh or processed. Retrieved via Husfarm, https://husfarm.com/production/cheese-from-milk-of-sheep/. Licence CC BY 4.0.
Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. fao.org/faostat. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.