Quota scheme planned for Emmental producers

Emmentaler Switzerland, the representative organisation for the production of this cheese in its homeland has reacted to chronically low prices for AOC Emmental worldwide by planning production quotas starting probably this autumn. This tactic of limiting production to support prices was tried during 2010 and the beginning of 2011 and while producers in the Emmentaler Switzerland organisation toed the line at that time and cut back production other makers of AOC Emmental not in the organisation refused to reduce output despite a long campaign to win them over.  By spring last year the initiative had to be abandoned and, as expected, prices dived to even lower levels.

Now, the representative organisation and Ministry of Agriculture is working on a programme that will force the rebels into the quota scheme.  First, the government in Bern plans to issue a so-called “self-help” permit for the agricultural sector, allowing the introduction of mandatory production quotas for all Emmental AOC makers.  At the same time this organisation plans to form a marketing society which will help control prices further by buying, storing and selling the traditional cheese.