Swiss โFarming Groups Seek โขto Allay โFears Over โฃUS โคTradeโ Concessions
Bern, Switzerlandโ – Swissโ agricultural representatives are โคmoving to reassure the public that recently agreed-upon customsโข concessions grantedโ to the United States โคwill have a limited impact on the domestic market, despite growing international โขpressure on the sector. The concessions, announced asโค part of a โbroader trade agreement, allow for the import of 3,000 tonnes of US meat – 500 โคtonnes ofโ beef, 1,000โฃ tonnes of โคbison, โand 1,500โ tonnes of poultry – annually.
while โคacknowledging โขthe agreement, officials emphasizeโฃ the volumes โare considerably lower thanโ Switzerland’s current import levels. inโ 2024, Switzerland importedโฃ over 100,000 tonnes of meat, โprimarily from Germany and Austria, while concurrently producing 450,000 tonnes domestically.
“These volumes are much lower thanโ the quantities we import annually,” stated Michel Darbellay.
The Swissโ Farmers’ Union (USP) stressed the importance ofโฃ strict regulation โขsurrounding these imports. “If it can be integrated into the โtariff quota, there will be no additional pressureโค on Swiss agriculture,” a representative added.
Concerns โregarding perhaps controversial โUS production practicesโค were also addressed. Darbellay โconfirmedโข that “chicken treated with chlorine is prohibited” โฃin โSwitzerlandโฃ and that adherence to existing non-tariff measures โwill be enforced. Beef โwith โฃhormones โขwill be subject toโค mandatoryโค declaration.
Darbellay โfurther dismissed suggestionsโ of supermarkets being โฃflooded with American meat, noting thatโ the majority ofโ imported chicken currently originates from brazil or Hungary. He highlighted strong consumer preference for Swiss products, citing the country’s “strictest animal keeping rules โฃin the world” and โขrobustโฃ traceabilityโ systems.
Farmer Daniel Schwager โคechoed this sentiment, stating that Switzerland currently produces 60% of theโ poultry consumed withinโ its borders, with the remaining 40% imported. โ”And afterwards, in โคsupermarkets, it is the โขconsumer โwho makes his โchoice between the swiss productโ and that โwhich โขis imported,” he explained.
However, the agreement comes amidst a broader context of increasing international trade pressures onโ Swiss agriculture, includingโ potential deals with Mercosur and other free trade agreements.โ Darbellay expressed concern, stating, “Weโ have to seeโ the overall pictureโฆ Swiss agriculture is subject โto strongโข international pressure.”
In light โฃof this, theโข USPโข is advocating for agriculture to be exempted fromโ planned โsavings measures outlined in the Federal Council’s 2027 relief program, arguing โฃthat concessions should โขnot be coupled with domestic cuts.
Related Coverage:
* โ The French-speaking press โขhighlights the high cost of the deal on American customs duties
* Interview with economistโข Stรฉphaneโข Garelli on the new customs duties
Sources: Radio and TV topics:โค Coralie Claude and Guillaume Carel; Adaptation web: Tristan Hertig.
