The nine Middle East markets consumed more than 1.8 million tonnes of cheese in 2025, and Zenith expects consumption to grow by close to 2% a year, passing 2 million tonnes by 2030. Per capita consumption averages around 7.5 kg.
Turkey is the largest market in the region, followed by Iran and Saudi Arabia. White cheese is central to diets across the region, and processed cheese plays a large role in the Gulf.
The region combines strong producers with import-dependent markets. Turkey and Iran are largely self-sufficient, Saudi Arabia both imports and exports in volume, Bahrain is an export hub for processed cheese, and the UAE re-exports across the Gulf, while Kuwait and Qatar import most of what they consume.
Markets covered: Bahrain, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE.
The Zenith Global Cheese Database 2026 covers every market in the region with production, imports, exports and consumption for 39 cheese types, actuals from 2020 to 2025 and forecasts to 2030. Volume data covers totals, broad categories and separately measured cheese types, in tonnes. Consumer retail value covers total cheese only, in local currency and USD; import and export trade values cover HS 0406 total only, in USD. Monetary values are not broken down by individual cheese type or broad category. Retail shelf prices cover total cheese and five broad categories: hard and semi-hard, fresh, mould, processed, and other non-specified cheese, in local currency/kg and USD/kg, not individual prices for all 39 cheese types. Import and export unit prices cover HS 0406 total and available HS subheadings, in USD/kg. Retail value is estimated retail volume multiplied by regular shelf prices, including sales tax. Trade values are customs values, using CIF for imports and FOB for exports. Production is measured as formally manufactured cheese.