Swiss cheesemakers are seeking to fill the hole in sales left by US import tariffs, which have caused demand to plunge in one of their most important export markets. Gruyere cheese was hit by a new US tariff of 10% imposed last year, rising to 12.5% this year.
Impact on Farmers
The production cut has hit farmers hard, they say, but they are reluctant to provide exact figures. For the most heavily exported type of Gruyere, produced at lower altitudes, the 5% reduction has been maintained for a second year.
According to cheesemaker Alexandre Murith, the measure is there to avoid a stock surplus and maintain a stable price. "The cheese isn’t actually selling, and the measure is there to avoid a stock surplus. It also helps maintain a stable price," he said.
Cheese trader Anthony Margot, who ages thousands of wheels at a time in his cellar, noted that the US market had traditionally represented about 13% of sales of Gruyere. "We work daily to find new markets around the world. But the United States is a massive market with high purchasing power — clearly it cannot be replaced overnight," he added.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
