World production and consumption
What is the most common cheese in Iceland?
Cheese
Worldwide, cheese is a major agricultural product. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, over 20 million metric tons of cheese were produced worldwide in 2011. This is about three kilograms for each person on Earth. The largest producer of cheese is the United States, accounting for 26% of world production, followed by Germany and France. In the U.S., mozzarella and cheddar are by far the top cheese types. Only Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Australia have a cheese production that is mainly export oriented: respectively 95%, 90%, 72%, and 65% of their cheese production is exported. Only 35% of French production is exported. The United States, the biggest world producer of cheese, is a marginal exporter, as most of its production is for the domestic market. Emmental (used mainly as a cooking ingredient) and Camembert are the most common cheeses in France. In Iceland, skyr is the most common cheese. In Greece, feta accounts for three-quarters of this consumption. In the U.S., the consumption of cheese is quickly increasing and has nearly tripled between 1970 and 2003. The consumption per person has reached, in 2003, . Mozzarella is United States's favorite cheese and accounts for nearly a third of its consumption, mainly because it is one of the main ingredients of pizza.