MD_DA811

     Cheese - Foreign Type

     Report 6 - Released on February 05, 2020

     Cheese stocks in some leading Western European cheese producing countries are low. This has
     been a factor during much of 2019. Dairy observers believe cheese stocks were further drawn
     down this January. Typically cheese stocks begin to build in January, when year end holiday
     demand subsides. The atypical result this year tightens the availability of cheese for
     current delivery. This resulted in firming cheese prices in Western Europe.

     The persistence of low aging cheese stocks resulting from helping to meet current cheese
     demand has become problematic for manufacturers. The very good current cheese sales are
     welcome. However, there is also interest in rebuilding aging stocks to continue to generate
     future sales of aged cheese. This presents a short term – long term dilemma. The ultimate
     resolution will be to channel more milk into cheese production, either via increased milk
     production, or drawing milk away from other dairy product uses. That tension is still
     evolving. U.S. domestic prices for blue, gorgonzola, parmesan, and Romano have moved down
     $0.0700 from last week.
     WHOLESALE SELLING PRICES: FOB DISTRIBUTORS DOCK
     DOLLARS PER POUND (1000 - 5000 POUNDS, MIXED LOTS)
                                     :      NEW YORK
     VARIETY                         :      IMPORTED        :      DOMESTIC
                                     :                      :
     Blue                            :    2.6400-5.2300     :   2.4375-3.9250*
     Gorgonzola                      :    3.6900-5.7400     :   2.9450-3.6625*
     Parmesan                        :         -0-          :   3.8250-5.9150*
     Romano                          :         -0-          :   3.6275-5.7825*
     Sardo Romano (Argentina)        :    2.8500-4.7800     :         -0-
     Reggianito (Argentina)          :    3.2900-4.7800     :         -0-
     Jarlsberg                       :    2.9500-6.4500     :         -0-
     Swiss                           :         -0-          :    3.5750-3.8975
     Swiss (Finland)                 :    2.6700-2.9300     :         -0-
     * = Price change.

     Information for the period February 3 - 7, 2020, issued weekly

     Secondary Sourced Information:

     European Union cheese exports to the U.S. January – November 2019 increased 5.2 percent
     from January – November 2018 according to Eucolait. The U.S. is the largest destination for
     EU cheese, receiving 16.1 percent of exported cheese. Eucolait also reports that January –
     November 2019, the main origins of EU cheese imported by the U.S. for the period are: Italy,
     22.5 percent; France, 11.8 percent; and Netherlands, 8.1 percent.

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

     Additional Dairy Market News Information:
     Dairy Market News (DMN) by Phone: (608)422-8602
     DMN Website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/dairy
     DMN MARS (My Market News): https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov