Switzerland: Economics and Grain Production in the Alps

The Swiss Confederation is a small, landlocked, and culturally diverse country located in the Alps at the heart of Western Europe. Even though Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it is a highly developed nation and home to a host of international organizations. Switzerland has a total territory of more than 41.000 square kilometers, which is almost twice the size of New Jersey. Geographically, Switzerland is mountainous, dominated by the Alps, and rolling hills, alongside large inland lakes. Switzerland has a total population of approximately 8.2 million citizens, more than 70% of which live in a major city or urban setting, namely Zurich, Geneva, Basel, and Bern. Currently, Switzerland’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) is of over US$500 billion. Similarly, its national economy has experienced positive economic growth in recent years. The Swiss national economy is divided into 1% agriculture, 26% manufacturing, and 73% services. However, the agriculture industry utilizes about 39% of the national territory, while another 31% is forested. Likewise, Switzerland’s agricultural industry employs some 4% of the national labor force, while manufacturing employs about 23% and services employ another 73%.

In terms of natural resources, Switzerland has hydropower capabilities, timber, and salt. Within manufacturing, the national industry is focused on machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, and precision instruments. Meanwhile, the country’s agricultural industry has as main products grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, and eggs. Similarly, a large sector of the Swiss economy is devoted to the tourism, financial services, and banking industries. In terms of trade, Switzerland belongs to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) alongside Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland. Likewise, Switzerland’s main partners are Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, France, and China. Lastly, Switzerland utilizes its own national currency, the Swiss Franc, which is known internationally for its strength and security. This article explores the status of nutrition and cereal markets in Switzerland.

Switzerland: Economics and Grain Production in the Alps

It is important to note that the Swiss government protects, subsidizes, and incentivizes its small agricultural industry. In recent years, the average per capita protein intake of animal origin amongst the Swiss has been of approximately 59 grams daily. Meanwhile, cereals, roots, and tubers supply about 24% of the average food energy intake in Switzerland. Simultaneously, land distribution in Switzerland has evolved throughout the last half century. In 1961, permanent pastures and meadows covered more than 1.3 million hectares, while arable land covered another 396.000 hectares and permanent crops accounted for 12.000 hectares. In 2014, permanent pastures and meadows in Switzerland accounted for little over 1 million hectares, while arable land represented 400.000 hectares and permanent crops covered another 25.500 hectares.

Similarly, the domestic cereals market in Switzerland has transformed substantially throughout the last several decades. In 1961, the country devoted little over 180.000 hectares of land to the production of cereals and produced almost 518.000 metric tons annually. Meanwhile, in 2014, Switzerland devoted more than 143.000 hectares of land to cereals production and yielded close to 1 million metric tons.

(Read more about Ecuador’s Agricultural and Economic Outlook)