Dutch cheese production on the rise again in 2025

The Dutch cheese production picked up again last year, perhaps partly due to a higher milk production. The total cheese export remained almost the same as in 2024, but the export to countries outside the EU did decline significantly. Meanwhile, the import of cheese is also increasing. This was stated by chairperson Marlou Verkleij of the Dutch Dairy Exchange Foundation at the organization's New Year's meeting on Thursday afternoon, January 15. Overall, cheese production rose by 0.8% to 984,000 tonnes. The cheese export remained stable at a volume of 1,074,000 tonnes. This was made possible because the Netherlands not only produces a lot of cheese but also imports a lot. Last year, it was about 554,000 tonnes. Although total cheese export remained the same, the export to third countries did decline by more than 10%. However, this was compensated by growth within Europe. The import of cheese has been increasing for five consecutive years. In 2025, 554,000 tonnes of cheese entered the Netherlands. That is 6.7% more than the year before. The majority came from EU neighbors (not only Germany but also Ireland). The import from outside the EU also increased from 10,000 to 14,000 tonnes. A similar development is visible across Europe as a whole. EU cheese production slightly increased, exports grew cautiously, and for the second year in a row, imports were also higher. Encouraging for cheese producers and traders is that cheese consumption within and outside the EU continues to rise, a sign that demand remains structurally strong, according to Verkleij.