MD_DA128                                                         
DA                                                               
MD DA128 Cheddar Cheese - Oceania                                

MADISON, WI.  October 12, 2017 (REPORT 41)                       

OCEANIA                                                          
INFORMATION GATHERED  10/02/2017 - 10/13/2017                    
U.S. DOLLARS PER METRIC TON, FOB PORT                            

CHEDDAR CHEESE:   

	Cheddar prices in Oceania narrowed the price range, up slightly 
at the bottom and down slightly at the top. Cheddar has been a steady 
performer and this adjustment will not cause anyone to lose sleep. 
The tightness of the price range is viewed as an indicator that 
Oceania cheddar markets are in pretty good balance. China and Japan 
remain as primary export destinations for cheese from both New 
Zealand and Australia. 
       January-August Australian cheese exports, 109,130 MT, declined 
3.2 percent from the same period one year earlier, according to 
Eucolait. The range of monthly percentage changes in cumulative 
export volumes varies from -4.8 percent in July, to +8 percent in 
January. Export volumes and primary destinations are shown in the 
following table:
 
  		           Australian Cheese Exports
                 	Main Three Destinations 
                 	January-August 2017 
 
Destination       	Quantity(MT)   Percent of Total  
Japan                 52,983         	      46.2 
China                 16,417                14.3 
South Korea            7,323                 6.4

       January-August New Zealand cheese exports, 229,545 MT, declined 
4.2 percent from the same period one year earlier, according to 
Eucolait. The range of monthly percentage changes in cumulative 
export volumes varies from -18.9 percent in February, to -2.1 percent 
in July. Export volumes and primary destinations are shown in the 
following table:
  		
                      New Zealand Cheese Exports
                 	Main Three Destinations 
                 	January-August 2017 
 
Destination       	Quantity(MT)   Percent of Total  
Australia             46,022         	      20.1
Japan                 41,253                18.0 
China                 36,842                16.1



       January-August China cheese imports, 79,007 MT, increased 23.4 
percent from the same period one year earlier, according to Eucolait. 
The range of monthly percentage changes in cumulative import volumes 
varies from -1.2 percent in January, to +28.7 percent in June. Import 
volumes and primary origins are shown in the following table:
  		
                      China Cheese Imports
                 	Main Three Origins 
                 	January-August 2017 
 
Origin       	Quantity(MT)   Percent of Total  
New Zealand           42,773         	      54.1
Australia             15,018                19.0
USA                    8,449                10.7  

       January-August Japan cheese imports, 178,157 MT, increased 3.1 
percent from the same period one year earlier, according to Eucolait. 
The range of monthly percentage changes in cumulative import volumes 
varies from -3.0 percent in March, to +6.4 percent in June. Import 
volumes and primary origins are shown in the following table:
  		
                      Japan Cheese Imports
                 	Main Three Origins 
                 	January-August 2017 
 
Origin       	Quantity(MT)   Percent of Total  
Australia             56,645                31.8
New Zealand           42,443         	      23.8	
USA                   19,598                11.0  

       At GDT Event 197 on October 3, the cheddar all contracts price, 
$4,109, increased 1.9 percent. The November contract, $4,201, 
decreased 0.8 percent. 
       The Dairy Market News international monthly average price in 
dollars/metric ton for Oceania cheddar prices in September, 2017, 
$4,138, compares with $3,560 one year earlier.
                                               
                                                                 
39% MAXIMUM MOISTURE:                    4,050 - 4,200           


0930c eric.graf@ams.usda.gov 
USDA/AMS/Dairy Market News, Madison, Wisconsin
Dairy Market News website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/dairy
Dairy Market News database portal: http://www.marketnews.usda.gov/mnp/da-
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