– Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes.
Africa Cheese Production was 1,110 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 5.6% on 2022. The Africa Cheese Production dataset provides a comprehensive assessment of cheese production across Africa between 2015 and 2023. Measured in Thousand Tonnes, the dataset serves as an important benchmark for evaluating regional dairy production, processing capacity, agricultural productivity, milk utilization, and the overall performance of the cheese industry.
Africa Cheese Production moved from 1,074 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1,110 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+3.3%), an average of +0.4% a year. The series high was 1,175 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the low 983.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2019.
The gap between the series high (2022) and low (2019) is 191.5 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was −13.7% in 2019.
Within Africa, Egypt has the highest value in 2023 at 765.7 Thousand Tonnes, 69% of the regional total.
Country ranking
Thousand Tonnes. Sort by any column, or search for a country.
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| Rank↕ | Country↕ | Share of top | Thousand Tonnes↕ | vs 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | 765.7 | −8.6% | |
| 2 | South Africa | 62.30 | +3.2% | |
| 3 | Nigeria | 9.56 | +0.3% |
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,110 | −5.6% |
| 2022Peak | 1,175 | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 1,113 | +8.6% |
| 2020 | 1,025 | +4.1% |
| 2019 Trough | 983.8 | −13.7% |
| 2018 | 1,139 | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 1,113 | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 1,067 | −0.7% |
| 2015 | 1,074 | — |
Data definition
Cheese Production — – Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the output of the dairy processing industry by measuring the production of cheese manufactured from milk. It is used to assess the scale of dairy processing, value-added agricultural production, and the performance of the cheese manufacturing sector. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The data includes the annual production of natural and processed cheese manufactured from milk obtained from dairy animals. It covers cheese produced for domestic consumption, industrial use, and export, including a wide range of cheese varieties reported through official national agricultural and food manufacturing statistics. The figures represent gross domestic cheese production compiled and standardized by the FAO to ensure international comparability across countries and years.
The data excludes raw milk production, butter, yogurt, cream, milk powder, whey products, and other dairy products that are not classified as cheese. It also excludes cheese imports and exports, retail sales, inventories, informal or unrecorded production not captured in official statistics, and cheese substitutes made from non-dairy ingredients such as plant-based alternatives.
Cheese Production — – Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the output of the dairy processing industry by measuring the production of cheese manufactured from milk. It is used to assess the scale of dairy processing, value-added agricultural production, and the performance of the cheese manufacturing sector. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
It consolidates production data from Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, and the remaining countries in Africa, providing a comprehensive view of regional production trends and long-term dairy sector development. Based on the validated data, Africa's cheese production totaled 1,074.41 thousand tonnes in 2015 before declining slightly to 1,066.96 thousand tonnes in 2016. Production recovered to 1,113.01 thousand tonnes in 2017 and increased further to 1,139.36 thousand tonnes in 2018. Regional output then declined to 983.81 thousand tonnes in 2019, the lowest level during the study period, before recovering to 1,024.53 thousand tonnes in 2020 and 1,112.78 thousand tonnes in 2021. Production reached a period high of 1,175.32 thousand tonnes in 2022 before moderating to 1,109.88 thousand tonnes in 2023. Egypt remained the region's largest cheese producer throughout the period, while Nigeria maintained relatively stable production and South Africa recorded moderate fluctuations. Production from the remaining African countries also influenced overall regional performance. Overall, the dataset provides valuable insights into regional cheese production trends, dairy manufacturing performance, and agricultural value addition. It supports year-over-year trend analysis, regional and international benchmarking, production forecasting, and evaluation of dairy processing efficiency. Policymakers, dairy producers, processors, exporters, investors, market analysts, and researchers can leverage the dataset to assess industry competitiveness, identify growth opportunities, strengthen supply chain resilience, support technological innovation, and formulate evidence-based strategies that promote sustainable growth across Africa's dairy industry.
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Definition – Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the output of the dairy processing industry by measuring the production of cheese manufactured from milk. It is used to assess the scale of dairy processing, value-added agricultural production, and the performance of the cheese manufacturing sector. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Africa Cheese Production was 1,110 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 5.6% on 2022.
Africa Cheese Production moved from 1,074 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 1,110 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+3.3%), an average of +0.4% a year. The series high was 1,175 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the low 983.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2019.
The highest value was 1,175 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the lowest was 983.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2019.
Included: The data includes the annual production of natural and processed cheese manufactured from milk obtained from dairy animals. It covers cheese produced for domestic consumption, industrial use, and export, including a wide range of cheese varieties reported through official national agricultural and food manufacturing statistics. The figures represent gross domestic cheese production compiled and standardized by the FAO to ensure international comparability across countries and years. Excluded: The data excludes raw milk production, butter, yogurt, cream, milk powder, whey products, and other dairy products that are not classified as cheese. It also excludes cheese imports and exports, retail sales, inventories, informal or unrecorded production not captured in official statistics, and cheese substitutes made from non-dairy ingredients such as plant-based alternatives.
The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?time=2023&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls&pickerSort=asc&Food=Cheese&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false). It covers 2015–2023 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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