Photo supplied

Would the Swiss starve if all imports were blocked?

If, in a crisis, all imports to Switzerland were stopped, the Swiss population would still be guaranteed enough to eat – although people would have to tighten their belts.

Published: June 21, 2022, 9:32 am

    Bern

    Each citizen would have to get by on 2 340 calories a day, compared with the current average daily intake of 3 015 calories, according to calculations published recently by Agroscope for the Federal Office for National Economic Supply. This lower amount is still above most recommendations by the Swiss Society for Nutrition.

    Self-sufficiency, also known as autarky, would mean people would have to adapt their diets. The biggest change would concern meat: pork and poultry, even eggs, would rarely be seen on plates. Use of sugar and cooking oil would also have to be reduced. Beer and wine would “basically be taboo”, Agroscope said.

    Instead, shelves would be full of potatoes, baked goods and local vegetables. More milk would be consumed fresh, rather than being used for cheese – and all available meadows would be used to produce milk.

    The livestock population would also change drastically, the study said. Farmers would be more likely to keep animals that ate roughage than animals that ate concentrated feed. As a result, the number of fattened pigs and poultry would drop by around 90 percent since it is more efficient to use vegetables for energy directly than to refine them for animal feed.

    The calculations assumed that the authorities could still import hatching eggs for poultry production, fertiliser and pesticides.

    Consider donating to support our work

    Help us to produce more articles like this. FreeWestMedia is depending on donations from our readers to keep going. With your help, we expose the mainstream fake news agenda.

    Keep ​your language polite​. Readers from many different countries visit and contribute to Free West Media and we must therefore obey the rules in​,​ for example​, ​Germany. Illegal content will be deleted.

    If you have been approved to post comments without preview from FWM, you are responsible for violation​s​ of​ any​ law. This means that FWM may be forced to cooperate with authorities in a possible crime investigation.

    If your comments are subject to preview ​by FWM, please be patient. We continually review comments but depending on the time of day it can take up to several hours before your comment is reviewed.

    We reserve the right to del​ete​ comments that are offensive, contain slander or foul language, or are irrelevant to the discussion.

    No comments.

    By submitting a comment you grant Free West Media a perpetual license to reproduce your words and name/web site in attribution. Inappropriate and irrelevant comments will be removed at an admin’s discretion. Your email is used for verification purposes only, it will never be shared.

    Europe

    Firewall Imposed by Mainstream German Parties Against AfD Crumbles

    The German opposition party, the AfD, made history on Sunday: for the first time, it achieved almost 44 percent of the vote in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, becoming by far the strongest political party; it narrowly missed an absolute majority.

    Climate Propaganda Tanks: Two-thirds Are Disbelievers

    The climate change narrative is losing its grip in Germany, once home of the most ardent believers.

    Berlin Ditches German Opera for Afrofuturism

    The Deutsche Oper in Berlin may still bear that name – but opera is a thing of the past.

    With Nordenskiöld Through the Northeast Passage

    In April, 1880, Stockholm's streets were filled with people cheering when a three-masted ship sailed into the harbour.

    Will Coalition of Ukraine Supporters Crumble without Macron?

    ParisMore than four and a half years after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the coalition of the "willing" is showing cracks.

    Norwegian Police: Do Not Share Burglar Footage Without Criminals’ Consent

    In a controversial advisory that has sparked widespread public frustration, Norwegian police have urged residents not to share video recordings from their private security cameras that capture burglaries in progress.

    Italian Politics Sees Rise of New Right-Wing Force and Shifting Alliances

    Italian politics is witnessing rapid realignments, with a new right-wing party gaining momentum in just a few months and pro-Russia sentiments appearing to strengthen on both ends of the political spectrum.

    Czech Republic’s First Afro Politician Released Early After Rape Convictions ‘Changes’ Him

    With his Afro hairstyle and anti-racist message, Dominik Feri was predicted to become a political star who would shape the future of both the Czech Republic and Europe.

    Zelensky and Budanov’s New Population Exchange Plan: Solve Ukraine’s Demographic Collapse with Migrants

    Indians, Pakistanis and Africans are to replace the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men who have died at the front. In Kiev, liberalization is now being prepared to solve the labor crisis through immigration of a Western European nature – although corruption and the reluctance of migrants to stay in the war-torn country are still slowing down the population exchange.

    The Double Standards of the European Commission

    On June 26, 2026, in the midst of a historic heatwave hitting Europe, the European Commission headquarters in Brussels (Berlaymont) sent out a chilling internal message to its employees

    Go to archive