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Switzerland imports more cheese than it exports

Swiss Cheese - Level 0

Switzerland is famous for cheese, but it now imports more cheese than it exports. This is because other countries sell cheaper milk in Switzerland. It is difficult for Swiss farmers to match their price. Many farmers have given up. They cannot make money. Farmers are making less cheese … just enough for their own population.

High quality Swiss cheese is on the menu of many restaurants. Many restaurants are replacing Swiss cheese with cheese from other countries. However, the Swiss are eating more cheese than ever. They ate an average of 22.9 kg per person in 2022. A dairy farmer said cheese is a big part of life in Switzerland.

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Swiss Cheese - Level 1

Switzerland is famous for producing cheese. However, it now imports more cheese than it exports for the first time. This is because other countries can sell milk in Switzerland. It is difficult for Swiss farmers to compete with cheap, imported milk. Many farmers have given up. They cannot make money. This has decreased the quantity of cheese they make. Swiss farmers can only make enough cheese for their own population.

Swiss cheese is known for its high quality. It is often on the menu of restaurants. However, restaurants and supermarkets are replacing Swiss cheese with cheese from other countries. Switzerland is exporting less cheese, but the Swiss are eating more cheese than ever. Swiss people ate an average of 22.9 kg per person in 2022. A dairy farmer was sad. She said: "Cheese is a big part of life in Switzerland. We need our farms, and cheese."

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Swiss Cheese - Level 2

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Switzerland is a country famous for producing cheese. However, it is now importing more cheese than it exports for the first time. The reason is that Switzerland opened up its milk market. Other countries can sell milk in Switzerland. This means it is difficult for Swiss farmers to compete with cheaper, imported milk. Many dairy farmers have given up because they cannot make a profit. This has decreased the quantity of cheese made in Switzerland. The Swiss Dairy Association said the country can now only make enough cheese for its own population.

Swiss cheese is well known for its high quality. It is often on the menu of restaurants worldwide. However, restaurants and supermarkets are replacing Swiss cheeses with those from other countries. Even though Switzerland is exporting less cheese, the Swiss are still big cheese eaters. They are eating more cheese than ever. Swiss people ate an average of 22.9 kg per person last year. A dairy farmer was sad to see dairy farms disappearing. She said: "Cheese is a big part of life in Switzerland. We need our farms, and cheese."

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Swiss Cheese - Level 3

Only a handful of countries are famous for producing cheese. Switzerland is one of them. However, for the first time, Switzerland is importing more cheese than it exports. The reason is that in the 1990s, Switzerland opened up its milk market. This meant other countries could sell milk in Switzerland. The result is that Swiss farmers have had difficulty competing with the cheaper, imported milk. Many Swiss dairy farmers have given up because they can no longer make a profit. This has led to a decrease in the quantity of cheese made in Switzerland. A spokesperson for the Swiss Dairy Association said the country can now only produce enough cheese for its own population.

Swiss cheese like Gruyere and Emmental are well known for their high quality. Restaurants worldwide add these cheeses to their menus. However, eateries and supermarkets around the world may have to replace Swiss cheeses with those from England, France or Venezuela. Even though Switzerland is not exporting as much cheese, the Swiss are still big cheese eaters. They are actually eating more cheese than ever. The Swiss Info website said Swiss people ate an average of 22.9 kg per person last year. Dairy farmer Lina Fischer was sad to see so many farms disappearing. She said: "From fondues to fried cheese balls, cheese is a big part of life in Switzerland. We need our farms, and cheese."

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