Northern hemisphere peak milk flows unlikely to overwhelm the market, says Rabobank

Production growth expanded across all other regions says RaboResearch report “Dairy Quarterly Q1 2018: Turn the Pressure Down.”

The export engine has been running on most cylinders since mid-2017. However, weather risks have now been extended beyond New Zealand as Europe battled a cold front, Australia had localized bushfires and there are drought conditions at play in Argentina.

“The peak period of milk production in the Northern Hemisphere still looms as a pressure point for the global market in Q2 2018,” according to Michael Harvey, Senior Analyst for Dairy.

“However, Rabobank does not see the Northern Hemisphere peak milk flows completely overwhelming the global market. EU milk production growth started 2018 on a high note, but is also expected to trend lower throughout the year.”

Previous expectations for the extent of pressure on global markets to come in Q2 2018 have moderated, with a global rebalance looming in the second half of 2018.

The European Commission does not intend to purchase any skim milk powder (SMP) at the fixed intervention price in 2018, instead focusing on clearing the 375,700 tons of intervention SMP stocks, which will continue to pressure SMP prices and likely divert milk solids to other product streams.

Farmgate milk prices continue to weaken in Q1 2018 (albeit from a high base), and more downward pressure is expected. Meanwhile, the risk of higher feed prices is emerging.