Analysis dairy business
Cheese prices after revival in calmer waters
Cheese prices picked up quite quickly in mid-May, although the recovery did not continue in June. The imbalance that was visible for a long time has also been restored.
Read this article?
Become a subscriber and get instant access
Choose the subscription that suits you
After a long stable period, cheese prices rose sharply from the second week of May. Although the market did take higher prices into account, many did not see this rapid rate of increase coming. The DCA quotation for Gouda cheese rose from €3.800 to more than €4.100 per tonne in four weeks. This is the highest point yet in 2024.
The price of mozzarella rose even faster and went from €3.500 to €4.000 per tonne. The foil cheese prices were somewhat overvalued compared to other cheeses, but that is no longer the case.
Customers briefly covered
The revival is mainly a matter of loosened demand in both retail and food service. Many customers have short coverage. When prices start to rise, things often go up quickly. Especially if stocks are not too large. We also saw the same thing happen on the butter market in May, where stocks are even tighter in proportion. Sentiment crept into the market because there were concerns about lower milk production in Europe. To a lesser extent this also applies to the United States.
The market does feel calmer in the second week of June. The air seems to be escaping somewhat from the market, without any signs of falling prices. The market is expected to remain stable in the coming weeks. The tight supplies are included in the prices, or so it is often believed by market insiders.