$10.25/kgMS milk price now in play
A significant rise in Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction last week has prompted one bank to lift its forecast milk price for the season to above Fonterra's mid-point.
Global dairy prices have slumped for the fourth consecutive time in 2020 and coronavirus (Covid-19) is to blame.
The overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction saw the price index drop by 3.9%; whole milk powder prices dropped 4.2% to US$2797/metric tonne.
Rabobank senior dairy analyst Emma Higgins says clearly the onset of coronavirus stalled the upward trajectory in global dairy prices visible in late 2019 and the corona hangover continues as evidenced by the GDT Event held overnight.
She says last night’s results are now the fourth decline for 2020.
“The GDT Price Index moved lower by 4% with average prices now sitting below USD 3,000/tonne (USD 2,980/tonne). This is now in line with average prices back in January last year. Buyers and sellers are still scrambling to assess the market impact as the spread of the virus moves from China to more broadly across the globe.”
Key results
AMF index up 1.0%, average price US$4,331/MT
Butter index up 0.3%, average price US$4,144/MT
BMP not offered
Ched index up 2.6%, average price US$4,398/MT
LAC index up 4.9%, average price US$914/MT
RenCas index up 1.0%, average price US$9,987/MT
SMP index down 8.1%, average price US$2,527/MT
SWP index not available, average price not available
WMP index down 4.2%, average price US$2,797/MT
The chair of Beef + Lamb NZ, Kate Acland says the rush appears to be on to purchase farms and convert them to forestry before new rules limiting this come into effect.
New Zealand farmers will face higher urea prices this year, mainly on the back of tight global supply and a weak Kiwi dollar.
Andy Caughey of Wool Impact says a lot of people in NZ have been saying it's crazy that we are not using natural fibres in our buildings and houses.
Former chief executive of Beef+Lamb New Zealand Scott Champion will head the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) from July.
Avian flu getting into New Zealand's poultry industry is the biosecurity threat that is most worrying for Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.
The annual domestic utilisation of wool will double to 30,000 tonnes because of the edict that government agencies should use woollen fibre products in the construction of new and refurbished buildings.