Bern: Some Swiss farmers have begun bringing livestock down from Alpine pastures earlier than planned as severe drought depletes water and fodder supplies, the Swiss Alpine Economy Federation (FSEA) said Wednesday, according to Swissinfo.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Jura Arc, a mountainous region in the northwest of the country, along with other parts of French-speaking and eastern Switzerland, have been particularly affected, though conditions are critical nationwide, FSEA Director-General Selina Droz said.
Drought has also depleted fodder reserves on lowland farms, leaving some farmers with few alternatives. Some have resorted to slaughtering livestock earlier than planned, according to the report.
The shortened summer grazing season is also reducing dairy production, according to the FSEA. Alpine cheese output is expected to remain below average this year, while the production of Gruyere d'alpage is forecast to fall by around 10% compared with 2025.
Droz described this year's conditions as 'highly exceptional' but warned that dry summers are expected to become more frequent because of climate change.
Early livestock descents should remain an emergency measure, she said, adding that transporting water by road or helicopter is only practical in limited circumstances, such as when farms have even less fodder available elsewhere.
The FSEA urged Alpine farms to review and adapt their water infrastructure, adding that new reservoirs and projects to tap additional springs would require greater financial support from Switzerland's federal and cantonal authorities.
Switzerland has around 6,600 Alpine pastures. About one-third of the country's usable agricultural land is farmed during the summer grazing period, producing roughly 5,500 tons of Alpine cheese annually.
The warning comes as Swiss farmers face mounting losses from this summer's drought. Swiss Farmers' Union President Markus Ritter said last week that losses could exceed the 500 million Swiss francs ($614 million) recorded during the 2003 drought, with potatoes, sugar beet and maize among the crops most affected, according to Swissinfo.
He also said livestock farmers were already dipping into winter feed reserves, while hay prices had risen by as much as 50%.