Rabobank Global Dairy Quarterly Q1 2018: Turn the Pressure Down
A robust import programme by Chinese buyers, combined with a weather-impacted New Zealand season, were the perfect
ingredients for the short-term rally in Q1 2018. In the background, the export engine is firing on most other cylinders,
as production growth expanded across all other regions, according to the latest 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. Europe battled a cold front, Australia had localised bushfires, and there are drought conditions at
play in Argentina.
The export engine has been running on most cylinders since mid-2017. However, weather risks have now been extended
beyond New Zealand. Europe battled a cold front, Australia had localised 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 Emma Higgins, Analyst – 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.”
New Zealand:
This summer has been one of the more challenging ones for many New Zealand dairy farmers with drought conditions across
key dairying regions impacting soil moisture and contributing to a 5.4% fall in milk production across the summer period
(Dec-Feb).
During February, two ex-Tropical cyclones caused disruptions for some dairy farmers, but delivered high rainfall. By
mid-March soil moisture levels had been restored to the point where some regions are wetter than normal.
Milk production is winding down quickly and will be unable to make up lost ground. As a result, Rabobank expects monthly
milk production volumes to trail year on year comparisons for the remainder of the season finishing down 1 per cent for
the full season.
ends