Swiss cheese continues to sell well abroad with exports increasing by 1.6% in 2020.
This content was published on
2 minutes
The pandemic has not made a dent in the global appetite for cheese from the Alpine nation. A total of 77,124 tonnes was exported last year with a value of CHF693.8 million ($772.5 million), an increase of 3.9% in revenues.
Accounting for more than 80% of the export volume (62,919 tonnes), Europe is the most important market, Switzerland Cheese Marketing said on Tuesday. Germany alone imported 32,926 tonnes followed by Italy with 10,533 tonnes and France with 5,839 tonnes.
Another bit of good news was a recovery in exports outside Europe after a drop in 2019. A total of 14,205 tonnes of Swiss cheese were exported to the rest of the world in 2020.
Swiss consumers also looked beyond the country’s borders to satisfy their craving for fancy fromage. Switzerland imported 71,664 tonnes of cheese last year (up by 11.7%) at a cost of CHF453.5 million. Almost 82% of imported products came from Italy (up 12.2%), Germany (up 13.8%) and France (up 6.9%).
Switzerland also saved some cash through higher profits on exports and decreased cost of imports. The average export price per kilo of Swiss cheese, at CHF 9.19/kg (wholesale price), is higher than in the previous year (CHF 8.97/kg). Conversely, the average import price fell from CHF 6.78/kg in 2019 to CHF 6.31 /kg (wholesale price).
Around 45% of Swiss milk is processed into more than 700 Swiss cheeses and around 40% is exported to more than 70 countries around the world.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Why cars still reign supreme in ‘rail-nation’ Switzerland
Swiss central banker wants to boost equity to head off risks
This content was published on
Equity levels at the Swiss National Bank (SNB) are much too low for the risks its large balance sheet poses, according to Martin Schlegel.
Beer sales in Switzerland watered down by bad weather
This content was published on
The past brewing year fell through in Switzerland, partly due to the bad weather. Beer sales shrank again. For the first time, per capita consumption fell below the 50 liter mark.
Compensation for Syrian after pregnant wife denied help on Swiss train
This content was published on
Switzerland’s Federal Court has partially upheld the appeal of a Syrian family being deported from Switzerland to Italy in 2014. The man now also receives compensation.
Swiss-EU negotiations: Cassis to meet Sefcovic in Bern
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will meet the Vice-President of the EU Commission, Maros Sefcovic, in Bern on Wednesday.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
‘Cheese first’ policy forces Switzerland to import extra 1,000 tons of butter
This content was published on
Switzerland has increased the quota for low-tariff butter imports by 1,000 metric tons despite protests from local farmers that it will damage their business. The ministry for agriculture says the measure is needed to avoid Swiss households running out of butter this year. Frozen butter reserves shrank to 1,500 tons, and while they recovered to…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.