Switzerland exports a lot more cheese in the first half

The Swiss cheese industry exported more during the first six months of the year than the previous year. World cheese sales increased 6.4 percent to 33,933 tonnes. According to the industry, this could mean that the franc crisis has been overcome.

The EU remains the most important trading partner for local cheese producers at about 80 percent of the volume exported. Europe's appetite for Swiss cheese has further increased by 4.7 percent in the first half of 2018.

However, the percentage of growth outside of Europe was even higher at 14.2 percent, as Switzerland Cheese Marketing AG and TSM Treuhand The GmbH reported on Tuesday

that the sector recorded more exports in all categories of products, from cream cheese, cheese to soft cheese with semi-hard cheese and hard cheese. The sales generated a total product of 293 million francs

The associations consider the positive result as very important for the Swiss dairy industry. Because about 40% of the milk produced here is processed into 650 different cheese specialties. Of these, about 40% are exported.

Also increasing imports of cheese

The fact that the Franks crisis is slowly being overcome, according to the industry also shows in the import figures. In the first half of the year, the purchase of foreign cheese increased by 3.2 percent to 31,473 tons. Due to the rise in import prices, the pressure on imports is weakening, he continues.

If the average price in the first half of 2017 was still 6,22 Swiss francs per kilogram, it has risen to 6.88 francs in 2018. However, the foreign cheese continues to be significantly cheaper than the price to the export of Swiss cheese, which stands at 8.62 Swiss francs per kilogram.

The industry hopes that import prices will continue to rise. Because with the cheap products produced abroad, local cheese production can not keep up, organizations point out. The price is the main argument in favor of the import of cheese, especially in the sector of catering and food.

Swiss consumers still buy cheese in Italy (10 641 tonnes, + 3.1%), followed by German varieties (8461 tonnes, + 2.0%) and French products (6422 tonnes, -1.0% ).