Drought pushes Swiss livestock farmers to buy French hay as local reserves shrink
Swiss livestock farmers are buying hay and other feed from France as drought reduces forage availability on both sides of the border. French farmers warn that higher Swiss bids, reaching €220-230 per tonne, are accelerating the depletion of local winter reserves.
Drought tightens the cross-border forage market
Severe drought across several European regions is putting livestock producers under growing pressure and intensifying competition for animal feed along the French-Swiss border. French forage reserves are declining rapidly, while Swiss farmers are crossing into France to buy hay and other feed available on the local market, Stiripesurse.ro reported.
The pressure is particularly visible in Doubs, a French department bordering Switzerland. Florent Dornier, president of the local branch of the French farmers’ union FDSEA, said “dozens and dozens of trucks” were heading toward the Swiss side. French producers fear that the current pace of sales could leave them short of feed after drought already significantly reduced forage production and damaged pastures.
Swiss buyers offer a substantial price premium
The supply squeeze has driven hay prices sharply higher. A tonne that would normally sell for about €150 now costs more than €170. Swiss buyers are prepared to pay €220-230 per tonne, giving them a clear advantage over French livestock farmers competing for the same available stocks. The top end of the Swiss range is €60 above the reported French price of more than €170 and €80 above the usual level.
The difference in purchasing power is adding pressure to local reserves, according to FDSEA. The issue extends beyond hay leaving France: drought-hit French livestock farmers have already begun using forage intended for the cold season. Dornier said farms in the area had been consuming their reserves for a month and a half and warned that, if the situation continued, barns could be without hay by the end of January.
Customs authorities identify irregular shipments
Some forage has also crossed the border without the required customs formalities, according to AA. In one recent case, a farmer was stopped on a country road in the border community of Les Fourgs while illegally transporting several tonnes of feed to Switzerland. Regional customs authorities in Besançon said the farmer could face a fine of up to €3,700 and was required to resell the cargo in France.
The Doubs prefecture confirmed that inspections had found several shipments of forage and straw that did not comply with export rules. Authorities said the cases identified so far involved fraudulent individual initiatives and that no organised network had been discovered. The distinction is important for the regional market: the official findings point to scattered rule-breaking rather than evidence of a coordinated supply chain.
Feed policy shifts as winter risks increase
Switzerland has also taken steps to ease feed availability. At the beginning of August, the Swiss government announced the suspension of customs duties on imports of maize intended for animal feed. The measure broadens access to an alternative feed source, but it does not remove the immediate competition for hay and other forage needed by livestock producers.
For farmers on both sides of the border, the central risk is the speed at which drought is converting a production shortfall into higher costs and reduced winter coverage. Swiss producers can secure supplies by offering a premium, while French sellers must weigh attractive prices against the feed requirements of their own herds. With pastures affected and winter stocks already being consumed, future availability will depend on how long the dry conditions and elevated cross-border demand persist.
