Cheese from skimmed cow milk production by country
World production of cheese from skimmed cow milk reached 2.7 million t in 2023, down 2.6% over ten years. The largest producers were Germany (24.9%), France (11.3%), Iran (9.0%), together 45% of the world total.
- World production, 2023
- 2.7 million t
- 10-year change
- −2.6%
- Producing countries
- 44
- Largest producer
- Germany
World production, 1961–2023 (tonnes)
Map of cheese from skimmed cow milk 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 | Germany I | 681,196 | 24.9% | −19% |
| 2 | France I | 308,693 | 11.3% | −0.3% |
| 3 | Iran I | 247,180 | 9.03% | +2.9% |
| 4 | United States I | 206,721 | 7.55% | −43% |
| 5 | Russia I | 186,994 | 6.83% | +10.0% |
| 6 | Egypt I | 184,743 | 6.75% | +102% |
| 7 | China I | 136,144 | 4.98% | +9.9% |
| 8 | Uzbekistan I | 125,248 | 4.58% | +422% |
| 9 | Japan I | 106,252 | 3.88% | −20% |
| 10 | Poland I | 87,987 | 3.22% | — |
| 11 | Czechia I | 53,964 | 1.97% | +170% |
| 12 | Myanmar I | 50,227 | 1.84% | −54% |
| 13 | Austria E | 40,000 | 1.46% | +4.5% |
| 14 | Israel I | 30,664 | 1.12% | +15% |
| 15 | Canada I | 30,599 | 1.12% | +21% |
| 16 | Belgium I | 27,623 | 1.01% | +28% |
| 17 | Lithuania I | 23,918 | 0.87% | −32% |
| 18 | Costa Rica I | 23,640 | 0.86% | +96% |
| 19 | Turkey I | 23,406 | 0.86% | −58% |
| 20 | Switzerland I | 19,156 | 0.70% | −8.8% |
| 21 | Brazil I | 16,286 | 0.60% | +271% |
| 22 | Morocco I | 16,069 | 0.59% | −15% |
| 23 | Greece I | 11,876 | 0.43% | +31% |
| 24 | Honduras I | 11,763 | 0.43% | +4.7% |
| 25 | Azerbaijan I | 11,192 | 0.41% | −39% |
| 26 | Hungary I | 10,270 | 0.38% | −44% |
| 27 | Nigeria I | 9,559 | 0.35% | −7.3% |
| 28 | Uruguay I | 8,641 | 0.32% | −43% |
| 29 | Yemen I | 8,000 | 0.29% | +52% |
| 30 | Mauritania I | 7,800 | 0.29% | +14% |
| 31 | Latvia I | 5,572 | 0.20% | +1,293% |
| 32 | Chile I | 4,874 | 0.18% | −6.3% |
| 33 | Iraq I | 4,162 | 0.15% | +27% |
| 34 | Ireland I | 3,591 | 0.13% | −4.0% |
| 35 | Botswana I | 2,896 | 0.11% | −56% |
| 36 | Algeria I | 2,620 | 0.10% | +17% |
| 37 | Peru I | 2,588 | 0.09% | +62% |
| 38 | Spain I | 1,545 | 0.06% | +158% |
| 39 | Turkmenistan I | 1,273 | 0.05% | −9.0% |
| 40 | Nicaragua I | 666 | 0.02% | +500% |
| 41 | Belarus I | 383 | 0.01% | +3.5% |
| 42 | Iceland I | 327 | 0.01% | +26% |
| 43 | Tajikistan I | 117 | 0.00% | +70% |
| 44 | Serbia I | 104 | 0.00% | −23% |
E = estimated by FAO, I = imputed by FAO, X = from an external organisation; other figures are official.
How concentrated is production?
The largest producer, Germany, accounts for 24.9% of the world total in 2023; the five largest for 59.6% and the ten largest for 83.0%.
| Year | Top 5 share | Top 10 share | Countries with data |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 75.6% | 88.9% | 41 |
| 2005 | 73.2% | 88.6% | 41 |
| 2010 | 69.3% | 87.3% | 42 |
| 2015 | 67.6% | 86.0% | 43 |
| 2020 | 66.2% | 84.7% | 43 |
| 2023 | 59.6% | 83.0% | 44 |
By continent, 2023
| Continent | Production | Share of world | Share in 2013 | 10-year change | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 1.5 million t | 53.5% | 53.2% | −2.1% | 17 |
| Asia | 743,865 t | 27.2% | 26.4% | +0.2% | 12 |
| North and Central America | 273,389 t | 10.0% | 14.6% | −34% | 5 |
| Africa | 223,687 t | 8.2% | 4.8% | +64% | 6 |
| South America | 32,389 t | 1.2% | 0.9% | +23% | 4 |
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.
Growing
| Uzbekistan | 125,248 t | +422% |
| Brazil | 16,286 t | +271% |
| Czechia | 53,964 t | +170% |
| Egypt | 184,743 t | +102% |
| Costa Rica | 23,640 t | +96% |
Declining
| Turkey | 23,406 t | −58% |
| Myanmar | 50,227 t | −54% |
| United States | 206,721 t | −43% |
| Lithuania | 23,918 t | −32% |
| Japan | 106,252 t | −20% |
Long-term trend, 1961–2023
- Average growth per year, 1961–2023
- +1.6%
- Average growth per year, last 10 years
- −0.3%
- Record year
- 2017 3.0 million t
- Largest yearly fall
- 1992 −18%
| Decade | Average per year | vs previous decade |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s (1961–1969) | 1.3 million t | — |
| 1970s | 2.1 million t | +57% |
| 1980s | 2.5 million t | +18% |
| 1990s | 2.1 million t | −13% |
| 2000s | 2.2 million t | +3.2% |
| 2010s | 2.8 million t | +29% |
| 2020s (2020–2023) | 2.7 million t | −3.0% |
Questions and answers
Which country produces the most cheese from skimmed cow milk?
Germany was the largest producer in 2023 with 681,196 t, 24.9% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
What is the world production of cheese from skimmed cow milk?
World production was 2.7 million t in 2023, −2.6% compared with 2013.
Which countries produce the most cheese from skimmed cow milk?
In 2023: Germany (681,196 t, 24.9%), France (308,693 t, 11.3%), Iran (247,180 t, 9.0%), United States (206,721 t, 7.6%), Russia (186,994 t, 6.8%). Together they account for 59.6% 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 skimmed cow milk. Retrieved via Husfarm, https://husfarm.com/production/cheese-from-skimmed-cow-milk/. 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.