Switzerland is a country famous for producing cheese. However, it is now importing more cheese than it exports for the first time. The reason is that Switzerland opened up its milk market. Other countries can sell milk in Switzerland. This means it is difficult for Swiss farmers to compete with cheaper, imported milk. Many dairy farmers have given up because they cannot make a profit. This has decreased the quantity of cheese made in Switzerland. The Swiss Dairy Association said the country can now only make enough cheese for its own population.

Swiss cheese is well known for its high quality. It is often on the menu of restaurants worldwide. However, restaurants and supermarkets are replacing Swiss cheeses with those from other countries. Even though Switzerland is exporting less cheese, the Swiss are still big cheese eaters. They are eating more cheese than ever. Swiss people ate an average of 22.9 kg per person last year. A dairy farmer was sad to see dairy farms disappearing. She said: "Cheese is a big part of life in Switzerland. We need our farms, and cheese."