D_DA810                                                         
DA                                                               
MD DA810 Cheese - Northeast                                      

MADISON, WI.  April 08, 2015 (REPORT 14)                         


NORTHEAST WHOLESALE CHEESE:                                      

Manufacturers' cheese supplies are growing with production rates.  Retail 
sales, overall, have weakened following the Easter/Passover holidays.  
Buyers' current objectives are to work through existing inventories, 
while looking down the road to potentially lower priced procurements.  
Last week, weekly average cheese prices increased.  As a result, this 
week wholesale cheese prices for cheddar and muenster increased $0.0450, 
and process 5# sliced rose $0.0750.  Grade A Swiss prices decreased 
$0.1825 with adjustments based on Class III component prices. Tuesday's 
CME Group daily cash prices saw blocks close at $1.5775, down $0.0025 
from a week ago; barrels closed at $1.6100, up $0.0100 from a week ago.  
The CME Group monthly average price for cheese blocks during March 2015 
was $1.5549, compared to $2.3554 one year ago; barrels averaged $1.5290, 
compared to $2.2790 one year ago.  According to the DMN National Retail 
Report-Dairy, for April 3-9, the regional weighted average advertised 
price for 8 oz. cheese blocks in the Northeast is $2.20, 11 cents less 
than the national average and 10 cents less than a week ago.  The 
Southeast 8 oz. block cheese price was $2.24, 21 cents less than the 
previous week.  The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reports that 
February 2015 U.S. cheese and curd exports totaled 65.2 million pounds, a 
5% decrease from a year ago.
DAIRY PRODUCTS:  According to NASS, U.S. total cheese production in 
February 2015 was 884.3 million pounds, 3.9% more than a year ago but 
9.5% less than the previous month.  In the Atlantic region, total cheese 
production was 108.2 million pounds, 5.0% more than a year ago but 7.9% 
less than the previous month.  The total cheese production and percentage 
change from one year ago for individual Eastern states are: New York 58.6 
million pounds, +7.2%; Pennsylvania 33.9 million pounds, +8.8%; and 
Vermont 10.0 million pounds, +1.0%.  

   
 2015 U.S. Cheese and Curd Exports (USDA-FAS)

                    (Million Lb.)   % Change From 
                                      1 Year Ago

February               65.2              -   5

Total Jan. - Feb.     117.6              -  16
   1 Mexico            31.1                  0
   2 South Korea       26.8              +  31
   3 Japan             15.0              -  11
   4 Australia          5.7              -  27
   5 China              4.6              +  13


WHOLESALE SELLING PRICES: DELIVERED,                             
DOLLARS PER POUND (1000 - 5000 POUNDS MIXED LOTS)                
                                                                 
Cheddar 40# Block                            : 1.9750-2.2600     
Process 5# Sliced                            : 1.8150-2.2950     
Muenster                                     : 1.9950-2.3450     
Grade A Swiss Cuts 10 - 14#                  : 3.2525-3.5750       

1100CT Daniel.Johnson@ams.usda.gov 608.557.7006
USDA/AMS/Dairy Market News, Madison, Wisconsin
Dairy Market News website: www.ams.usda.gov/dairymarketnews
Dairy Market News database portal: http://www.marketnews.usda.gov/mnp/da-
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