The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, has participated in a meeting with representatives of the organization of the ‘World Cheese Awards’ 2026, the largest global competition for this food. Fernández-Pacheco has highlighted «Andalusia’s ability to make a before and after in the history of this international competition», pointing out that «hosting the competition in 2026 is an unbeatable opportunity to make it possible for millions of cheese lovers around the world to get to know more closely the excellence of Andalusian products in general, and Cordovan products in particular.»
Likewise, the Minister has emphasized that «the Board is aware of how important it is to take care of what we have nearby, because it is ours; and also take care of what we have far away, because it enables our growth.» In this regard, Fernández-Pacheco has cited the increase observed in exports of food and beverages from Andalusia «thanks to the fact that more and more consumers are choosing our products because they know they are synonymous with excellence.» Andalusian agri-food exports exceeded €15.8 billion in 2024; and in the case of cheese, these sales brought in over €76.5 million to the autonomous community. On the other hand, in 2024, food and beverage exports from the province of Córdoba amounted to around €1.5 billion, of which over €970,000 corresponded to the sale of cheeses abroad.
Regarding the peculiarities of the region’s cheeses, the Minister has highlighted the artisanal production by professionals who «know very well that making cheese goes beyond gathering milk and curdling it, that dedicating oneself to this task is part of a way of life that we want to preserve here so as not to lose a rich tradition that Andalusia has had for time immemorial.» «But this does not mean that we do not progress and innovate,» he added, while explaining that Andalusian agri-food industry is committed to «modernization and implementation of new advances that allow us to make the most of natural resources and continue generating opportunities in rural areas with environmental, economic, and social sustainability».
Andalusian Sector
Andalusia currently has around 170 industries dedicated to milk processing, with a special emphasis on cheese production and small businesses, which comprise over 90% of these agri-food industries. In the case of Córdoba, the province is home to 15 artisan cheese factories.
In terms of milk, the production in the Andalusian autonomous community exceeds 750,000 tons. Additionally, this region is a national and European leader in goat milk production.