Germany exports more cheese despite Russian ban

The German export motor of cheese continues at full power with an almost 10% increase in cross-border sales in the first five months of 2013. The Association of the German Dairy Industry (MIV) reckons on a slowing down of the process later in the year. But it still thinks that the figure will level out with a plus for cheese exports of at least 5% for the whole of this year.

This should take foreign sales over last year’s record 1.12 m tonnes, despite the Russian ban on imports including cheeses from 56 German dairies. The ban kicked off in February and was imposed because the dairies had not implemented a Russian-approved system for traceability. The ban still continues for the dairies affected, although talks between the two countries are underway . The Russian ban resulted in a 40% reduction in dairy exports to the federation in the first five months, costing the German sector around €15 million per month in lost sales, estimates MIV. In 2012, 75,000 tonnes of German cheese was shipped to Russia. By the end of May this year the respective total was just 13,700 tonnes.

But significant increases in cheese sales to Italy and the Netherlands more than compensated for the Russian ban and total earnings from cheese exports were actually up by 7% on the 2012 January-May period.