– Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes.
America Cheese Production was 8,920 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 0.9% on 2022. The America Cheese Production dataset provides a comprehensive assessment of cheese production across the Americas 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.
America Cheese Production moved from 7,771 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 8,920 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+14.8%), an average of +1.7% a year. The series high was 8,920 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the low 7,771 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
The gap between the series high (2023) and low (2015) is 1,148 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +4.2% in 2021.
Within America, U.S. has the highest value in 2023 at 6,628 Thousand Tonnes, 74.3% of the regional total.
Country ranking
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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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023Peak | 8,920 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 8,842 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 8,643 | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 8,298 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 8,182 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 8,115 | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 8,048 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 7,939 | +2.2% |
| 2015 Trough | 7,771 | — |
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 the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and the remaining countries in the region, providing a comprehensive view of regional production trends and dairy sector development. Based on the validated data, cheese production across the Americas increased steadily from 7,771.42 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 7,939.40 thousand tonnes in 2016, 8,048.06 thousand tonnes in 2017, 8,115.35 thousand tonnes in 2018, 8,182.36 thousand tonnes in 2019, and 8,297.51 thousand tonnes in 2020. Production expanded further to 8,643.15 thousand tonnes in 2021, 8,841.94 thousand tonnes in 2022, and reached a period high of 8,919.72 thousand tonnes in 2023. The United States remained the region's largest producer throughout the study period, accounting for nearly three-quarters of total output. Canada maintained consistently stable production, while Mexico recorded gradual year-over-year growth. Brazil experienced notable expansion during the final two years of the period, Argentina recovered progressively after earlier declines, and Chile and Colombia registered moderate long-term growth. Production from the remaining countries also increased steadily, contributing to overall regional expansion. Overall, the dataset provides valuable insights into regional cheese production trends, dairy manufacturing performance, and agricultural value addition across the Americas. 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 innovation, and develop evidence-based strategies that promote sustainable growth across the American 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).
America Cheese Production was 8,920 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 0.9% on 2022.
America Cheese Production moved from 7,771 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 8,920 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+14.8%), an average of +1.7% a year. The series high was 8,920 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the low 7,771 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
The highest value was 8,920 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the lowest was 7,771 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.
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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