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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Price stability justified for 2019

With subdued global milk supply growth, empty SMP intervention stores, a Brexit threat delayed well past peak and reasonable demand from China and Asia, all indicators point to stable dairy market prices after some earlier easing – which should spell stable milk prices.  So, why should co-ops at this point commit to no further milk price cuts for 2019?

Supply growth negative in February

Worldwide milk production by the main exporting nations has gone into negative territory in February (see graph right).

This reflects the continued severe downturn in Australian supplies (down 12.6% for February, and by 6.4% for the June to February period).

Also down are EU supplies: for the combined January and February period, they were 0.6% down in volume, with Germany, France and the Netherlands well back.  Exceptions worthy of note are of course Ireland and Poland.

US output was only up 0.2% for February, and growth there, which had been between 1.5% and 2% every month, year on year, has been much more subdued in recent months.

New Zealand had been forging ahead strongly through their October peak.  However, it started the calendar year in reverse, with February supplies down 0.12%, and March supplies well back by 7.4%!

With global output growth stable to negative, markets have taken good note of likely scarcer supplies later this year – which has translated most clearly into 10 consecutive positive GDT auctions, the last one earlier this week.

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Source: USDEC[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In their Quarter 1 Dairy Quarterly report, Rabobank do expect that lower output growth will remain the form for much of 2019, and they even go so far as to suggest that low growth might persist into 2020.  The main reason they give for this is the fall in milk prices over recent months to levels in most countries below production costs.

This expectation leads them to forecast stable milk prices for the first 2 quarters of 2019, possibly followed by some price improvements from the end of quarter 2.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Source: Rabobank[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]SMP intervention stocks empty

After the last sale of SMP out of intervention on 16^th April, 33 tonnes at a minimum price of €1660/t, there is now only 1106t left for sale.  All of this will be made available for tender on 21^st May.

A total of 378,504t have been sold out of intervention since the sales began in 2016.  With only just over 1000t left, stocks are quasi empty.  However, it is likely that some of this product has still to be absorbed in the market place.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Based on EU MMO[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]GDT scores 10 consecutive increases

Since early December 2018, all 10 GDT auctions have scored positive index increases, the latest one on 16^th April at +0.5%.

The index has increased 28% since late November.  Butter prices, at US $5544/t are almost €800 dearer at current exchange rates than the most recent average EU butter prices.  SMP is almost €300/t dearer than EU product prices.  As a result, the latest SMP and butter prices would yield an “Irish” milk price of 36.32c/l + VAT.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Source: GDT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]EU powder prices stable to firmer since January

There has been a divergence between price trends in GDT and global international markets, which have seen strong growth in butter and powder prices, and EU prices.

EU butter prices have been slipping early this year, yet remain above €4000/t, and so at historically high levels.  Whey powder prices have also been slipping somewhat.

However, SMP and WMP has both been firming since January, reflecting strong exports and the emptying of intervention stocks.

Cheddar cheese prices have been stable to slightly firmer, despite the Brexit fears.

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Based on EU MMO[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Brexit threat postponed, but…

After two deadline postponements for Brexit from 29^th March to 12^th April, then to 31^st October, the reality is that the possibility (never to be excluded) of a hard Brexit has been postponed to a date beyond peak milk production.  This is positive in that the trading conditions (no tariffs, no delay or paperwork at the border…) remain unchanged for longer than might have been the case with a no deal crash out this spring.

However, we hear from cheese traders that, with significant stockpiling ahead of the first 29^th March deadline, and with strong increases in UK milk (+2.7% for February) and cheese production (+2.7% in the last 12 months), freshly produced UK cheddar is now competing with stockpiled Irish.  Quite a bit of retail promotions (i.e. competition based on reduced prices) is being reported.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Oil prices strengthening importing countries’ purchasing power

Since January, the Brent crude oil price has moved from around US$63 per barrel to a current US$72.

Higher oil prices always correlate to stronger dairy prices, because they increase the export earnings of many of our customer countries, such as the Middle East, North Africa and the likes.

With the trend currently up, this coincides with other factors to suggest better or at least more stable dairy prices over the coming weeks and months.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Massively increased EU powder exports – SE Asia, MENA and Africa feature strongly

EU SMP export for Jan/Feb 2019 were a whopping 37% above exports for the same period last year.  This follows a full year performance up 5.4% in 2018 compared to 2017.

China, which has imported 172% more powder in Jan/Feb 19 than in the previous year, is closing in on Algeria as our main market for SMP, but all the main destinations of SE Asia, the Middle East and Africa above and below the Sahara have clocked up massive increases into the early months of 2019.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Source of both above: EU MMO[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Cheese exports for the same period were strongly up too, by 7% compared to the same period last year.

This follows a historical year in which 832,000t of cheese were exported from the EU, the highest level in at least 7 years.

Demand from China continues strong

China is predicted by Rabobank in its 1^st 2019 quarterly dairy report as remaining a strong feature in international dairy demand.  Domestic supplies will remain short of demand, and Rabo predicts accelerated import activity in the second half of the year.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Source: CLAL.it[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Return levels would justify holding milk prices – and co-ops must signal end of price cuts for 2019

The current average milk price paid by co-ops for February is around 30-31c/l + VAT.  The returns for the main indicators outlined below about match this.

With farmers in need of every cent, as peak month cheques arrive, to catch up with the massive bills accumulated in 2018, it is essential that co-ops would signal clearly to farmers that this is the end of milk price cuts for 2019.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

CL/IFA/18th April 2019[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]2019 a year of relative dairy price stability – but with the uncertainty of Brexit

EU volumes edging up

While the USDEC graph on the right indicates continued slower global milk output growth as far as January, more recent production trends are showing the early stages of a pick-up.

This, combined with the uncertainty of the Brexit situation (see more on Brexit below), is influencing markets towards greater caution.

EU milk deliveries for 2018 were up 0.9% only, and December was actually 1% down on December 2017.  The vagaries of weather during the year put pressure on most of the main milk producing countries, with fodder shortages and rising feed costs moderating supplies.

Dutch milk deliveries continue to be impacted by the herd restrictions related to phosphates implemented since last year.  January output was back over 5%, while production for the calendar year was down 2.9%.

French milk deliveries to the 9^th week of the year (last week of February) were up 0.3% compared to the same week last year.  This is the first time that production exceeds the same week in the prior year since last August.  However, it leaves national output still well below the 5-year average, as has been the trend for practically all of 2018 (see graph right).
The French milk output for the full calendar year 2018 were 0.2% down on 2017.

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Source: France Agrimer[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]German output had also been depressed relative to 2017 since August 2018, but because it had been more expansive in the first half of the year, the annual output figure for 2018 was 1.7% higher than 2017.  After the more recent dip, production has now come to match last year’s in the third week of February.

Together, the Netherlands, France and Germany account for over 46% of all of the EU’s milk output – the trends in those strong dairy countries therefore determines the trend for the whole of the EU.

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Source: ZMB[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Other important production countries are already in a strong upward trend, namely the UK (+0.2% for the full year, but 2.5% for the second half of February), Denmark (+2% for December) and Poland (+2.6% for the full calendar year, and +2.8% for December).

Source: EU MMO[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Global supplies also picking up

Estimates suggest that global collections have started to recover, albeit relatively modestly.  Global output is believed to be up 0.4% for January.

Within this, the US January output is estimated to be up 0.5% – a very much more modest rate than increases earlier in 2018.

New Zealand January supplies were up a massive 7.7% – albeit in comparison with a much weaker January 2018.  The June to December 2018 period, which includes both the trough and peak of the NZ season, was up 4.4%.

The short-term outlook in New Zealand is for continued output growth, weather permitting.  However, regulatory restrictions related to climate change and the environment will likely limit longer term expansion.

Australian production in 2018 has been beggared by a succession of drought and floods.  For January 2019, it is down a whopping 11% compared to the same month last year.  For the full year todate, this is down 5.8%.

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Source: USDEC

 

Source: Ornua[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Demand strong in N Asia and China, stable to weak elsewhere

Demand continues to grow strongly in North Asia.  Cream, cheese and liquid milk imports were weaker, but but were offset by strong butter and powder volumes with WMP particularly strong. After a sluggish Q2/Q3 period, Q4 imports were exceptionally strong. Jan imports have continued to grow steadily.

Chinese imports spefically have soared in January, and reflect two main things: first, the trade war with the US, and second the fact that the use of the NZ tariff free import quotas for WMP tend to be front loaded to the earliest part of the year.

 

Source: CLAL[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]In South East Asia, 2018 saw higher levels of imports, driven by strong SMP demand (no doubt boosted by low prices), WMP and whey.  On the other hand, imports of butter and cheese fell.

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), 2018 saw a limited recovery in import levels after a depressed 2017 – again, price levels being the influential factor.  The first quarter of 2018 was the strongest, and imports eased thereafter.  Butter imports were down, with SMP and cheese up slightly, and WMP also on the up.

In the Western world, EU domestic demand has been quiet, cheese and butter growth sluggish.  Domestic SMP consumption has been weaker, but exports have increased strongly.  Domestic WMP consumption has also increased.

In the US and North America generally, cheese consumption has held up well in 2018.  Butter demand had eased, but has recovered towards year end.  Domestic consumption and exports of SMP are weak.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Oil prices and affordability of dairy product prices

The export earnings of oil producing countries have been affected by relatively low oil prices in recent months.  Since the end of 2018, prices have dropped from around US$ 80 to around US$60-65, dropping even to US$50 in January.

Lower oil revenues affect the ability of some emerging countries to afford food imports, including dairy products, and so there is always a positive correlation between high oil prices and strong demand for dairy products, leading to higher dairy products.  The opposite is happening at the moment.

That said, lower dairy prices for much of 2018, and easier butter prices since the history busting highs of 2017, have made products more affordable.

Source: oilprice.com[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]EU dairy prices in a lull

Since the beginning of 2019, we have seen a renewed pick up in butter prices which had been easing through much of 2018.  In the last couple of months, however just as SMP prices were picking up in earnest, butter prices have lost ground.

EU average SMP prices seem to have plateaued around €1910/t, while spots have not been able to lift above €2000.

WMP prices have continued to firm steadily since the beginning of the year to reach an average of €2870/t.  Cheddar cheese has also been inching up to €3270/t, benefiting from Brexit-related stock piling.

Whey powder prices have been hovering since early January between €890/t and €850/t (currently €860/t), with both average prices and spots easing in most recent times.

Based on EU MMO data

 

Source: INTL FCStone[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dairy returns – most indicators stable to easier

The table below tracks the returns from the main indicators available, from EU MMO average and raw milk spot prices, to the EU average dairy product spot prices, to the Ornua PPI and the GDT auction of 5^th March (next one is on next Tuesday 19^th March).

Most European based indicators would return a stable to easier milk price equivalent, while the GDT, which was on its 7^th consecutive uptick on 5^th March, was well up, but from low levels.

That said, the improved GDT prices since early December have led Fonterra to revise upwards their forecast milk price for the 2018/19 season to between NZ$6.30 and 6.60 (26.28 to 27.54c/l), with a dividend of 15 to 25 cents in addition – a total payout of up to 28.58c/l.  Not great, but a major improvement on earlier forecast.

Sources: EU MMO, INTL FCStone, Ornua, GDT

Source: GDT[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Brexit – new tariffs would damage Irish exports competitiveness in case of No Deal

Not a lot to say about Brexit, other than the British Parliament has this week successively voted against the Withdrawal Agreement agreed last December between the UK and the EU (including Backstop), against a “No-Deal” Brexit, and last night in favour of looking for a postponement of the 29^th March exit date.

Voting against the “No Deal” is well and good, but in the absence of a deal – and the Parliament has voted against the only deal on the table – the potential remains for the UK to crash out on 29^th March or later if a delay is granted.  The likely length of the delay is unclear – UK wants short, EU wants longer, but both have implications which are well documented in media reports, so I won’t go into it.

Importantly, the British Government have published a set of import tariffs they would be implementing in the event of a “No Deal” Brexit.  For a number of products – not just food products – the tariffs are set at zero.  For many products, including food products, they are set at WTO levels.  However, for a number of food sectors, the tariffs are set at a variety of levels, mostly less than WTO tariffs.

Should a “No Deal” Brexit arise, the tariffs would apply to all imports of those products into the UK, regardless of provenance – putting Irish and, say, US or NZ imports into the UK in the same situation, but making Irish exports to the UK significantly less competitive.

Dairy specific tariffs are proposed by the UK government for two dairy products only for which all imports from anywhere would face those tariffs:

• Cheddar €221/t (normal WTO tariff is €1671/t) – the new UK tariff for Cheddar is equivalent to 2.26c/l
• Butter €605/t (normal WTO tariff is €1896/t) – UK tariff for butter alone is equivalent to 2.6c/l – note this does not allow for SMP tariff, which would be WTO level, and would add substantially to this.

The uncertainty around Brexit, the yo-yo effect on Sterling and the stockpiling which has boosted demand in recent months but could depress it even in the case of a Brexit postponement or deal, all have created greater caution on milk prices by all milk purchasers around Europe, including Ireland.

CL/IFA/15^th March 2019

 

 

 

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]EU supplies down in early 2019

French milk supplies were down -3.1% in week 4 of 2019 (see graph right) and (most recent monthly figure available) down 3.7% in November 18 compared to November 17.
This is the continuation of an ongoing trend towards significantly lower output compared to previous year since the first week of August 2018.  Also, output has been consistently below the 5-year average (yellow line in graph below) since almost this time last year.

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Source: France Agrimer[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]German milk output has also been below year-earlier for almost all of the same period (from August 2018 todate).

Between them, France and Germany account for 37% of all the milk produced in the EU 28.

Dutch milk production has fallen 2.92% in the January to December period according to ZuivelNL, the Dutch dairy industry organisation.  This is due to the restriction on the national dairy herd imposed to reduce phosphate output.  Dutch milk supplies account for a further 9.4% of EU supplies.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Source: ZMB[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]UK milk supplies have been increasing in recent months, rising above 2017/18 output since November.

December 2018 UK output was up 1.7%, but the April to year end output was level for GB, and up 2.3% for NI.  The UK accounts for 9.6% of EU supplies (see pie chart below).

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Source: AHDB Dairy[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Source: EU Commission[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]More dynamic countries from a milk production perspective include Denmark (up 2.5% for the full year, and 2% for December); Poland (up 2.6% for the full year, up 3% for November) and of course Ireland (up 4.3% for the full year, up 23.2% for the month of December).

Poland accounts for 7.3% of overall EU supplies, with Ireland at 4.5%, and Denmark at 4%.

So, with almost 50% of the EU’s milk output in negative growth, the EU’s milk production has been restrained in recent months, with November output down 0.8% and predictions that this trend will likely continue into spring 2019.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Global supplies: a mixed picture, but flat at back end

Global milk supplies were estimated to be up 1% for 2018, but flat at year end because the EU, Argentina and Australia are all well down.

US output was up moderately, 0.8% for November (no more recent figures due to Government shutdown) and +1.2% for the January to November period.

New Zealand production continued to increase strongly, by 2.3% for the year, and 4.4% in December alone.  However, restrictions from environmental legislation enacted by the current Labour government will likely reduce scope for growth in the medium to longer term.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Source: AHDB Dairy[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Intervention stocks depleted to almost nothing – with rising sales price

Almost all the over 400,000t of SMP sold into intervention since 14/15 have been sold out, with recent prices keeping pace with fresh feed grade prices of around €1660-1670 (German and Dutch, 6^th Feb quote).  The latest minimum price adjudicated for sale of intervention powder was €1622/t on 2^nd February.  As the range of bids was up to €1710, some product will have sold for a higher price up to that maximum.

Remarkably, the 3,500t which were left to sell did not find buyers, only 584 tonnes were sold.  Spain, the UK, Slovakia and Finland are the countries where this left-over product is stored.  All Irish stock has been sold.

For all intents and purposes, the intervention stores are now as good as empty, and with restrained fresh milk supplies, the price of powder will hopefully continue to firm.

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Based on EU MMO data[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Dairy prices stable to firmer

The firming of powder and butter prices we have seen in recent weeks has continued in a more modest way.

The nominal Irish product mix whose returns we follow on the basis of the EU Milk Market Observatory weekly average price reports has improved by around 1.3 cents per litre from early January to early February.

Based on the EU MMO average prices quoted for 3^rd February, the representative Irish product mix would return gross 36.1c/l before processing costs.  Assuming the deduction of a nominal 5c/l for processing costs, this would be equivalent to 31.1c/l + VAT, or 32.78c/l incl VAT.  This is around 0.5c/l more than the average of the FJ League for milk purchased in the month of December.

Based on EU MMO data

 

Spot quotes, which had stalled and eased in recent days, are also firming again very slightly for SMP and whey in early February (table below).

Source: INTL FCStone[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Returns – improvements should help hold milk prices in short term

Most of the indicators we follow on the market place have improved by 1c/l or more in the last month to month and a half.  This reflects continuous improvement in powder prices (especially SMP) and while butter prices had been easing for several months, they have been firming slightly in recent days/weeks.

The average price paid by co-ops for December milk was, based on the Farmers’ Journal milk league, 30.67c/l + VAT.  The below suggests that this would be comfortably sustainable based on current (late Jan to early Feb) returns as illustrated by a variety of Irish, EU and international indicators.

Sources: EU MMO, INTL FCStone, Ornua, GDT[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]CL/IFA/12^th February 2019[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]