BEN SKAILES, a British cheesemaker, is busy as Christmas ripens demand for his Stilton. Foreigners make up a third of demand for his dairy, Cropwell Bishop Creamery. This exporting achievement is not to be sniffed at when one considers the barriers to the cheese trade. Some are natural. Perishable food goes better with wine than long journeys. At least Mr Skailes's Stilton can survive the three-week trip to America. (His is best eaten within 16 weeks.) Softer cheeses struggle, giving American producers an advantage. Other hurdles are man-made. Tariffs and quotas are supposed to support domestic dairy industries, and are more onerous than in other sectors. The European Union protects its dairy industry with a 34% average duty, compared with an overall average of 5%. In America it is 17%, compared with 3.5%. Stilton escapes American quotas, but full "loaves" are taxed at ai2.8% rate, ori7% if they arrive sliced. (Unprocessed foods tend to enjoy lower tariffs, to lure in jobs.) The high level of protection means that dairy disputes often loom large in trade deals, as governments scrabble for more access.
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