MD_DA104 Butter/Butteroil - Europe Report 21 - Released on May 23, 2019 Butter prices in Western Europe are lower. Buying interest is slightly slower. Unseasonably cool weather is ascribed as a factor. Butteroil prices firmed. Buyers are taking butter deliveries under contracts in a timely way. Few spot market purchases for short term delivery are reported. Buyers and manufacturers continue to talk about contracts for Q3 and Q4, but differing pricing expectations have slowed finalizing some possible deals. Reports are that there is a range of pricing quoted from various manufacturers. That is also contributing to delays in finalizing deals as buyers look around and compare. Western Europe, 82% Butterfat, Free on Board - Port Butter Price Range - $/MT: 4,525 - 4,725 Western Europe, 99% Butterfat, Free on Board - Port Butteroil Price Range - $/MT: 6,100 - 6,450 Information for the period May 13 - 24, 2019, issued biweekly Secondary Sourced Information: EU butter production January-March 2019 increased 0.8 percent from January-March 2018. March 2019 production was 1.9 percent higher YOY. Germany, a major butter producer, increased 2.9 percent YOY. France, however, was -9.0 percent YOY for March. EU butter exports January-March 2019, 40,000 MT, decreased 20.8 percent from January-March 2018 according to CLAL data provided to USDA. EU BUTTER EXPORTS ± TOP 3 DESTINATIONS Percent change January-March 2019/2018 DESTINATION MT PERCENT CHANGE United States 7,312 -21 Saudi Arabia 3,063 -45 China 2,432 -6 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: http://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/dairy DMN Database Portal: http://www.marketnews.usda.gov/mnp/da-home