A protectionist gesture for Swiss vegetables

Customs protections for certain vegetables grown in Switzerland should be reviewed. On Tuesday, December 13, the Council of States unanimously adopted a UDC motion which wants to avoid the destruction of local products in favor of cheaper imports. The National will have to decide (Unsplash photo). Currently, so-called "protected" periods are provided for by law, during which the Federal Office for Agriculture can authorize the import at low customs duty rates only if the country's supply does not sufficiently cover the demand. of the market. Outside these protected periods, Swiss production is finding it increasingly difficult to market products grown under ever stricter conditions, argues Werner Salzmann (UDC / BE) in his motion. In the summer of 2021, Swiss tomatoes had to be destroyed in favor of cheaper imported goods, recalls the Bernese. However, Swiss production has made progress in recent decades to offer products. By extending the protected periods provided for in the law ...