Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development of the Andalusian Government, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco; The Mayor of Córdoba, José María Bellido, and the President of Diputación, Salvador Fuentes, participated in the official reception of the auditor «The International Cheese Festival 2026», the largest professional meeting in the dairy sector, which Córdoba aspires to organize in its 19th edition decade.
As reported by the local council, this official reception took place in the Royal Stables. The Andalusian Government, in collaboration with Diputación and the Local Council, promotes Córdoba’s candidacy to host this prestigious professional meeting that will bring together more than 2,500 professionals from around the world, with over 4,500 cheeses expected to participate and an estimated 20,000 visitors.
To be chosen to host this event, Córdoba must pass a technical audit that will take place starting on Thursday, April 12. For this, a team of seven auditors will be on-site to assess the spaces and conditions offered by the city to host the festival in 2026, as well as the proposed value proposition. Led by the Cheese Institute, the candidacy will be responsible for carrying out the Technical Secretariat that knows the industry. The competition, with a history of over 35 years, is usually held in the United Kingdom, but also in other European or Spanish cities, such as San Sebastián (2016) or Oviedo (2021).
In this context, the councilor appreciated «Andalusia’s ability to mark before and after the history of this international competition,» emphasizing that «hosting the competition in 2026 is an unbeatable opportunity to make millions of cheese lovers around the world more closely acquainted with the excellence of Andalusian products in general;
Additionally, the councilor emphasized that «the board is aware of how important it is to take care of what we have nearby, because it is ours; and to take care of what we have far away, because it enables growth.» In this regard, Fernández-Pacheco cited the growth seen in the food and beverage exports in Andalusia «because more and more consumers are opting for Andalusian products, knowing they are synonymous.»
Regarding this event, the mayor thanked the organizers for «considering Córdoba’s candidacy to host this important event; an international reference in terms of tourist attraction and brand image, and of course, from a commercial standpoint, the Oscars of Cheese, as these awards are known.»
This sector, he added, «is one of the most important in Córdoba, in its province, and throughout Andalusia, which is a Spanish reference in the dairy sector,» said the mayor, who stated that «Córdoba has proven several times that it is well prepared to host this top-tier event.» «We hope and want to see ourselves at the World Cheese Awards 2026 in Córdoba,» he said.
Córdoba cheese exports exceed 970,000 euros
As detailed by the Andalusian Government in a statement, agri-food exports from Andalusia exceeded 15.8 billion euros in 2024; and in the case of cheese, these sales accounted for over 76.5 million euros for the autonomous community. On the other hand, from the province of Córdoba, food and beverages were exported for approximately 1.5 billion euros, of which over 970,000 euros correspond to cheese marketing overseas.
«But this does not mean we are not advancing and innovating,» he added, explaining that the Andalusian agri-food industry is committed to «modernizing and implementing new progress that maximizes natural resources and continues to generate opportunities in rural areas with environmental, economic, and social benefits.»
Andalusia currently has around 170 industries dedicated to milk processing, with a particular focus on the production of small cheeses and businesses, which account for over 90% of this agri-food industry. In the case of Córdoba, the province boasts 15 artisanal cheese producers. In terms of milk, the production in the Andalusian autonomous community exceeds 750,000 tons. Moreover, this region is a national and European leader in goat milk production.