Rabobank Dairy Quarterly Q1: US Producers Not Yet Out Of The Woods

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Mar 16, 2015, 01:22 ET

NEW YORK, March 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite a recent rally in dairy commodity prices, up from January lows, Rabobank's Q1 2015 report on the dairy industry finds that suppliers are not out of the woods yet.

"We have passed through the worst for dairy market fundamentals, but things aren't likely to be as tight through mid-year as the market is currently factoring," says Rabobank global dairy strategist Tim Hunt.

Rabobank said that global prices remained lifeless through the first half of Q1, before a surprisingly vigorous bounce in mid-February. By mid-March, whole milk powder (WMP) prices were up 42% over mid-December levels, with butter and skim milk powder (SMP) up 20% (cheese remained largely unmoved).

Rabobank notes the strength of the recent rally is hard to justify based on current fundamentals.

New Zealand experienced a dry period in February/March, while tighter margins and penalties for exceeding quotas have brought an end to a wave of milk supply growth in the EU. But the supply tap remains on in the U.S., there is little improvement in demand in key surplus regions, and China and Russia are leading the first demand-driven contraction in international trade since the 2009 financial crisis.

"In the nearer term, we consider some loss of pricing entirely possible," notes Hunt. "Unfortunately for suppliers, the market is likely to want to deliver the signal to restrain production growth as we progress through the middle of the year."

As 2015 progresses, Rabobank analysts expect supply growth will continue to slow, lower prices will unlock better consumption growth, and stronger buying elsewhere will help offset the weakness of China and Russia.

"We continue to look for a gradual tightening to occur in this market, leading to modest upward price pressure in the second half of 2015," says Hunt. "By Q4 2015, we expect to be back in positive margin territory for most dairy farmers in key export regions of the world, but it will take time – producers are not out of the woods yet."

"Low prices were required to help clear a market still dealing with exceptionally strong supply growth, a rising U.S. dollar, a weak economic environment, and reduced buying from China and Russia," concludes Hunt.

The full report is available to media upon request.

Rabobank Group is a global financial services leader providing wholesale and retail banking, leasing, real estate services, and renewable energy project financing. Founded over a century ago, Rabobank is one of the largest banks in the world, with nearly $1 trillion in assets and operations in more than 40 countries. In North America, Rabobank is a premier bank to the food, beverage and agribusiness industry. Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory team is comprised of more than 80 analysts around the world who provide expert analysis, insight and counsel to Rabobank clients about trends, issues and developments in all sectors of agriculture. www.rabobank.com/f&a

SOURCE Rabobank