Imports of cheese in Norway almost doubled from 2011 to 2021

Imports of cheese almost doubled from 2011 to 2021. Farmers’ organizations believe that customs protection is too weak.

In 2021, 17,400 tonnes of cheese worth NOK 1.25 billion were imported, the newspaper Nationen writes. That is almost twice as much as in 2011.

Cheese imports have increased by more than 10% each year in recent years. Cheese imports account for most of the increase in imports of dairy products, which amounted to 4.5% in 2020–2021.

Norwegians ate more cheese in total in 2021 than in 2020, but Norwegian-produced cheese accounted for a smaller share than before.

“Unfortunate”

The Norwegian Farmers ‘and Smallholders’ Association (NBS) is dissatisfied with the development.

“This is unfortunate when we can produce everything in Norway. We can produce much more than we do today,” NBS leader Kjersti Hoff stated.

She wants better customs protection for cheese products. 

Deputy leader Egil Christopher Hoen of the Norwegian Farmers’ Association believes that Norwegians have become too well accustomed to imported cheese.

“When it is allowed to have duty-free import of small batches of cheese, we nudge the consumer to eat imported cheese, when they could just as easily have chosen Norwegian-made cheese,” he said.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayFinance

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