Report 21 – Released on May 23, 2019

WESTERN OVERVIEW

EU milk production January-March 2019 was down 0.1 percent from one year ago according to Eucolait. March milk production was +1 percent from March last year.

Production increases for March 2019 YOY were recorded in Germany, +1.2 percent, Ireland, +11.1 percent, and the United Kingdom, +4.1 percent. These increases helped to overcome March YOY decreases in France, -0.8 percent, Italy, -3.1 percent, and Netherlands, -2.4 percent. Even with an underwhelming start to 2019 milk production, there is informed hope that the second half of the year will help to elevate 2019 production over 2018 production. Milk pay prices for April increased in some Western European countries. That fact is expected to be among factors which will positively impact ongoing milk production for the balance of the year.

EU cheese production January-March 2019 was down 0.1 percent from the year before according to Eucolait. March cheese production was -2.4 percent from March last year. EU cheese exports January-March 2019, 209,000 MT, increased 2.4 percent from January-March 2018 according to CLAL data provided to USDA.

EU CHEESE EXPORTS ą TOP 3 DESTINATIONS

     Percent change January-March 2019/2018

     DESTINATION      MT        PERCENT CHANGE

     United States    30,074     +6
     Japan            27,389    +27
     Switzerland      15,089     +1

EASTERN OVERVIEW

March YOY milk production in Poland was up 3.6 percent. In Belarus, January-March 2019 cheese exports increased 24.6 percent over January-March 2018. Cheese exports to Russia, the top destination, increased 22.9 percent.

Information for the period May 13 – 24, 2019, issued biweekly

Published by:
     Dairy Market News - Madison, WI
     Eric Graf, 608.422.8590
     Email: Eric.Graf@usda.gov

     Additional Dairy Market News Information:
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