Cucumbers and gherkins market in Switzerland

Earlier Report Observations

The Swiss market for fresh and chilled cucumbers and gherkins demonstrated consistent growth in volume from 2018 to 2023, rising from 31 347 tons to 38 644 tons. This expansion was underpinned by regulatory and supply-side developments initiated in prior years. A key driver was the strict origin rule enforced by the Federal Office for Agriculture, requiring gherkins in jars bearing the Swiss cross to be of domestic origin. This policy, established before 2018, reinforced the 'Swissness' of processed gherkins and supported local demand. The sole Swiss processor, Reitzel, embarked on a significant expansion of its processing capacity, securing supply through close partnerships with Swiss cucumber farmers since 2017.

Market growth continued through 2019 to 2021 with a steady rise in imports supplementing domestic production. A notable surge occurred in 2022, when production reached 16 430 tons and the market size hit 38 127 tons. This peak was facilitated by an excellent harvest yielding 1 400 tons of cornichons for processing and a broader consumer shift towards locally sourced produce. Although production dipped slightly in 2023, the overall market volume still increased to 38 644 tons, sustained by strong import flows.

Production cucumbers and gherkins in Switzerland

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of cucumbers and gherkins, 2017-2020

World map of production of cucumbers and gherkins, 2017-2020

Switzerland's production of cucumbers and gherkins rebounded after a two-year decline. In 2019, production hit its lowest point at 12,904 tonnes, but then increased by 12.7% in 2020 to reach 14,543 tonnes. The most significant drop occurred in 2018, when production fell by 6.1%.

Annual dynamics of production in Switzerland in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports cucumbers and gherkins from Switzerland

Exports in kind, t

Export volumes of cucumbers and gherkins from Switzerland showed considerable volatility during this period. The lowest point was recorded in 2018 at just 1 tonne, which represented an 87.2% decline from the previous year. However, exports surged by 136.9% in 2019, reaching their peak in 2017. By 2020, exports had decreased to 2 tonnes, marking a 31.9% drop compared to 2019. Overall, the difference between the peak in 2017 and the trough in 2018 was 7.8 times.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Switzerland in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands were the three main markets for Switzerland's cucumber and gherkin exports, together accounting for 89.2% of the total volume.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Switzerland in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The value of cucumber and gherkin exports from Switzerland experienced notable fluctuations. The lowest value was recorded in 2018 at 3,000 US dollars, which was a 76.7% decrease from the previous year. Exports then rebounded sharply in 2019, increasing by 98.7%. In 2020, exports reached 6,000 US dollars, up 10.6% from 2019. The peak occurred in 2017, with the difference between the high in 2017 and the low in 2018 being 4.3 times.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Switzerland in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, Germany, France, and Spain consistently led the export market in value terms. Germany accounted for 47.4% of exports, France for 21.1%, and Spain for 16.8%, together making up 85.3% of total export value.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Switzerland in value, 2017-2020

Imports cucumbers and gherkins to Switzerland

Imports in kind, t

Switzerland's imports of cucumbers and gherkins grew for the third consecutive year. In 2020, imports reached a total volume, representing an 11.8% increase compared to 2019. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, imports rose by 21.5%, which translates to an average annual growth rate of 6.7%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Switzerland in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Spain dominated Switzerland's cucumber and gherkin imports in volume terms, accounting for 78.0% of the total, while other countries contributed relatively small shares.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Switzerland in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

In 2020, the value of Switzerland's cucumber and gherkin imports amounted to 34,986,000 US dollars, a sharp increase of 26.0% from the previous year. The largest decline occurred in 2019, with a drop of 2.6%. Overall, between 2017 and 2020, import value grew by 30.7%, equivalent to an average annual rate of 9.3%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Switzerland in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

During the 2017–2020 period, Spain was the primary source for Switzerland's cucumber and gherkin imports in value terms, making up 79.8% of the total. The remaining imports were spread across a variety of smaller countries.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Switzerland in value, 2017-2020