The artificial limit to Emmental AOC cheese production in Switzerland has been removed by the sector’s self-appointed regulatory body Emmental Switzerland (ES). Last year and through the first months of 2011, the organisation tried to prevent all cheese makers from producing over imposed limits – without success. The quotas were brought in originally to try and maintain price levels. But unregistered cheesemakers, and even some plants affiliated to ES, claimed that low prices in the export markets were virtually forcing them to produce more of the cheese in order to survive.
ES has 187 cheesemaker members and 13 leading merchants supporting it. Emmi and Cremo are both members. The suggestion that AOC Emmental production be kept to 70% of possible output was rejected earlier this year. It is understood that the trade sector in Switzerland is still trying to enforce this quota. ES spokesman Christoph Stadelmann fears that cheese makers outside the organisation will ignore the trade restraints and start producing more, followed by heavy discounting when export demand is met. This, he said ,would bring prices tumbling down and could lead to some Swiss plants having to close.