– Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes.
Oceania Cheese Production was 749.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 6.4% on 2022. The Oceania Cheese Production dataset provides a comprehensive assessment of cheese production across Oceania 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.
Oceania Cheese Production moved from 718.1 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 749.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+4.4%), an average of +0.5% a year. The series high was 801.5 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the low 704.3 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
The gap between the series high (2022) and low (2016) is 97.21 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +7.4% in 2022.
Within Oceania, New Zealand has the highest value in 2023 at 375 Thousand Tonnes, 50% 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 | New Zealand | 375 | 0% | |
| 2 | Australia | 374.8 | −12.1% |
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 | 749.8 | −6.4% |
| 2022Peak | 801.5 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 746.2 | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 721.1 | −3.3% |
| 2019 | 746 | −1.5% |
| 2018 | 757 | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 714.7 | +1.5% |
| 2016 Trough | 704.3 | −1.9% |
| 2015 | 718.1 | — |
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 Australia and New Zealand, the region's two principal cheese-producing countries, providing a comprehensive view of production trends, dairy manufacturing performance, and long-term industry development. Based on the validated data, Oceania's cheese production totaled 718.14 thousand tonnes in 2015, before declining slightly to 704.26 thousand tonnes in 2016. Production recovered to 714.74 thousand tonnes in 2017 and increased further to 757.00 thousand tonnes in 2018, reflecting stronger regional output. Total production eased marginally to 746.00 thousand tonnes in 2019 and declined to 721.13 thousand tonnes in 2020. Regional output recovered to 746.20 thousand tonnes in 2021 and reached a period high of 801.46 thousand tonnes in 2022, before moderating to 749.81 thousand tonnes in 2023. Throughout the study period, Australia and New Zealand remained the dominant contributors to regional cheese production. Australia's output fluctuated moderately, with a notable increase in 2022, while New Zealand maintained comparatively stable production despite modest year-to-year variations. Together, both countries sustained Oceania's position as a significant dairy-producing region with well-developed cheese manufacturing capabilities. Overall, the dataset provides valuable insights into regional cheese production trends, dairy manufacturing performance, and agricultural value addition across Oceania. 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, encourage technological innovation, support sustainable dairy production, and formulate evidence-based strategies that promote long-term growth across Oceania'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).
Oceania Cheese Production was 749.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, down 6.4% on 2022.
Oceania Cheese Production moved from 718.1 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 749.8 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+4.4%), an average of +0.5% a year. The series high was 801.5 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the low 704.3 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
The highest value was 801.5 Thousand Tonnes in 2022 and the lowest was 704.3 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
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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