Swiss cheesemakers try to fill hole in sales from US tariffs

By Cecile Mantovani and Denis Balibouse

MOLESON-SUR-GRUYERES, Switzerland, July 25 (Reuters) - The Alpine farmers who make one of Switzerland's most famous cheeses are seeking to fill the hole in sales left by U.S. import tariffs, which have caused demand to plunge in one of their most important export markets.

Gruyere cheese was hit by a new U.S. tariff of 10% imposed last year, rising to 12.5% this year. Its producers' association responded by reducing production by 5% to protect prices.

"The cheese isn't actually selling, and the measure is there to avoid a stock surplus. It also helps maintain a stable price," said cheesemaker Alexandre Murith, who spends the summer with his wife and four children tending cows that graze on mountain pastures and provide milk with which Gruyere is made.

"Of course, restrictions are always a hassle, but this allows us to keep the price of Gruyere at a reasonable level rather than slashing prices just to move the product," he said.

The U.S. market had traditionally represented about 13% of sales of Gruyere, which has a stronger taste and slightly sockier smell than its hole-riddled compatriot Emmental.

The production cut has hit farmers hard, they say, but they are reluctant to provide exact figures. For the most heavily exported type of Gruyere, produced at lower altitudes, the 5% reduction has been maintained for a second year. For the kind produced by Murith, there is no cut for the coming season.

"We were heavily impacted in 2026," said cheese trader Anthony Margot, who ages thousands of wheels at a time in his cellar, on neat wooden shelves reaching towards the ceiling.

"We work daily to find new markets around the world. But the United States is a massive market with high purchasing power —clearly it cannot be replaced overnight," he added.

"We are actively scouting opportunities everywhere, of course, but it takes time and money."

(Writing by Francois Murphy; Editing by Kevin Liffey)