Say Cheese - Ireland ranks very high for worldwide cheese production

Chef's Pencil has released a new report on the top cheese producing nations in the world. The report is based on the latest available cheese production figures for 2021.

Ireland ranks third worldwide among the countries with the highest production of cheese per capita with 56.7 kilograms per person. Ireland is outranked only by Denmark (78 kg/person) and New Zealand (76.1 kg/person), while the Netherlands (54.2 kg/person) and Cyprus (42.0 kg/person) come in fourth and fifth.

In absolute terms, Ireland ranks 19th worldwide having produced 287,000 metric tonnes of cheese in 2021. Moreover, Ireland ranks second in the EU among countries with the highest cheese production growth over the past 5 years. Ireland recorded a 39% growth in cheese production from 2016 to 2021. 

According to Irish-cheese.com there are currently 86 cheesemakers in Ireland. There are around 49 cheesemakers producing cow’s milk cheese.  There are 23 cheesemakers who produce goat’s milk cheese. Only 12 make cheese from sheep’s milk and just two from buffalo’s milk. Some cheesemakers make cheeses from more than one animal eg Cashel from cow (Cashel Blue) and sheep’s milk (Crozier Blue and Shepherds Store), Killeen makes cheeses both from cow and goat’s milk; but most cheesemakers will specialise. Many make their cheese exclusively from their own milk, others will add the milk of their neighbours and other farms.

In Kilkenny, local cheesemakers, the Dizzy Goat Farm is based in Stoneyford and owner Bartosz Surman (who is approaching 20 years in business) makes a delicious goat cheese from free range goat's milk.

Explore their cheese at https://www.facebook.com/dizzygoatfarms/