Extension of duty exemption for fodder maize until April 2027

Context

In brief

• Summer drought: less hay and maize in many regions
• DEFR: duty exemption for maize until 30 aprile 2027
• Initial measure of 15 agosto 2026, initially until the end of October
• From 1 ottobre 2026, reduced duties on other fibrous forage

Key facts

• Publication → 25 settembre 2026
• Authority → DEFR
• Measure → duty exemption
• Product → maize, fresh or ensiled
• Destination → animal feed
• Expiry → 30 aprile 2027
• Requirement → dry matter not exceeding 60 percent
• Permit → general import permit

The announcement published in Bern on 25 settembre 2026 updates the federal response to the drought that affected the forage crop. DEFR has decided to extend the duty exemption for maize, fresh or ensiled, intended for animal feed.

The measure was adopted on 15 agosto 2026 to facilitate imports and support the farms directly affected. The exemption, initially applicable until the end of ottobre 2026, concerns maize with a dry matter content not exceeding 60 percent. The new expiry date is 30 aprile 2027.

The DEFR decision

The request for an extension came from the Swiss Farmers' Union, referred to in the announcement by the abbreviation USC. DEFR points to logistical difficulties in cross-border transport: this very factor weighed on the decision to extend the duration of the relief.

The decision is part of an agricultural season marked by very different conditions. A spring favorable to vegetation growth was followed by a summer characterized by drought. In most regions, the phenomenon negatively affected hay production and maize yields. The scant rainfall in August and September improved the situation only to a limited extent.

The announcement distinguishes maize intended for animals from other forage products. With effect from 1 ottobre 2026, customs duties on certain high-fiber forage products, usable as substitutes for roughage, will also be reduced. For these products, DEFR places the measure within the ordinary monthly update of customs duties.

For those reading the provision, the central point is therefore the two-part timing: a duty exemption for maize meeting the stated requirements, extended until 30 aprile 2027, and a reduction in duties for certain high-fiber forage products from 1 ottobre 2026. The two provisions are presented separately and do not have the same wording.

Operational details

What changes operationally

The extension modifies the timetable according to which an import of forage can be assessed. For maize, the criterion is not only the animal destination: the text also links the exemption to the form of the product, fresh or ensiled, and to a dry matter content not exceeding 60 percent. The date to keep in mind for the application is April 30, 2027.

The reduction provided for fiber-rich forage products, on the other hand, follows a separate path. It takes effect on October 1, 2026, and concerns certain products that can replace roughage. This second measure is not described as an extension of the exemption on maize, but as a reduction in customs duty included in the ordinary monthly update.

A useful comparison

The comparison helps avoid an overly broad reading of the announcement. Not every forage product is described in the same way: maize is linked to the duty exemption, while the second category is linked to a reduction in customs duty. For anyone organizing a supply, this distinction guides the preliminary verification of the goods and the applicable date.

The extension also responds to a concrete problem identified by the DEFR: cross-border transport presents logistical difficulties. The customs relief therefore offers a longer time window for the measure on maize, while the rules on fiber-rich products follow the monthly update. The statement links both decisions to the need to facilitate the procurement of forage for animal feed.

At the national level, the operational reference remains federal: the decision is by the DEFR and the goods must be declared at a customs office. For a separate process concerning costo della vita in Svizzera, the website offers a dedicated guide.

Useful tools to protect your net income

To reduce FX leakage, compare CHF-EUR exchange options and banks for cross-border workers.

Key points

Import Procedure

Those who need to use the measures must separate the analysis of the goods from the formalities. The path indicated in the communication can be organized into four steps.

1. Verify the product category. For corn, the destination must be animal feed and the product must be fresh or ensiled, with a dry matter content not exceeding 60 percent. For the other articles, it is necessary to verify that they fall among the specified fibre-rich feed products that can replace roughage.

2. Check the applicable date. The exemption on corn is extended until 30 April 2027. The reduction in taxation on fibre-rich feed products takes effect from 1 October 2026. The two dates belong to different measures.

3. Regularly declare the import at a customs office. For operational information, the communication refers to the customs portals indicated for further information.

4. Request the general import permit from the organization responsible for mandatory stocks réservesuisse. The application must be sent to Schwanengasse 5-7, 3001 Bern, telephone 031 328 72 72. The form is available on the réservesuisse website.

Two separate formalities

The declaration to a customs office and the general import permit are not presented as alternatives. The communication requires both: it first recalls the obligation to regularly declare imports, then adds the need for the permit for these goods. The application must be submitted to réservesuisse, the organization responsible for mandatory stocks, at Schwanengasse 5-7, 3001 Bern, telephone 031 328 72 72. The form is available on the réservesuisse website.

This sequence makes it possible to keep three elements separate: the classification of the goods, the customs treatment linked to the date, and the formalities required for entry. Additional customs information is available on the sites indicated by the communication, while réservesuisse is the reference for the general permit form.

If, when managing the supply, it is necessary to compare amounts in francs and euros, comparatore CHF/EUR can be used; the currency comparison remains separate from the customs declaration and the permit. To complete the verification of personal expenses in Switzerland, consult the calcolatore stipendio/imposte.

Source: admin.ch