Switzerland, known for its mountain pastures dotted with grazing cows, is struggling more than expected to meet domestic butter demand. Lower-than-anticipated milk production forced the Federal Office for Agriculture to raise the import allowance for butter for the fifth time this year. It added 1,000 tons to the total allowance, which is now 7,100 tons, or about 15% of what’s being consumed in Switzerland, the agency said.
A wet summer in 2021 and a dry spring this year diminished feed quality, said Florie Marion, a spokeswoman for the agriculture agency. That meant less output from the roughly half a million milk cows. Another reason for the drop is farmers switching to meat production, she said. The new allowance will be auctioned off to importers, who can ship the additional butter from Oct. 17.