MD_DA810                                                         
DA                                                               
MD DA810 Cheese - Northeast                                      

MADISON, WI.  March 22, 2017 (REPORT 12)                         

NORTHEAST WHOLESALE CHEESE:                                      
                                                                 
Northeastern cheese production is steady as manufacturing plants 
continue to clear ample milk volumes. Cheddar plants continue to run 
7-day workdays. Food service channels are steady to lower with schools 
closed for spring break. Retail interest for mozzarella remains 
stable. In general, cheese trading activity is steady to lower, as 
some market participants continue to hold off on transactions and 
watch to see if the prices will continue to shift downward. The cheese 
market tone is mixed. Demand is steady, but cheese inventories are 
building. Overall, there is price pressure. This week, a cooperative 
export assistance program accepted requests for export assistance to 
sell 3.523 million pounds (1,598 metric tons) of cheese. At the CME 
Group, barrel cheese weekly averages declined $0.0450 and block weekly 
averages declined $0.0600, in a weak market. As a result, East 
wholesale cheese prices for blocks, process slices and Muenster 
continue to shift downward. Tuesday's CME Group daily cash prices saw 
barrels close at $1.3900, down $0.0100 from a week ago; blocks closed 
at $1.4300, up $0.0600 from a week ago. The DMN National Retail 
Report-Dairy, for March 17-23, 2017, noted the Northeast weighted 
average advertised price for 8 oz. cheese blocks was $2.28, 10 cents 
above the national average, with a regional price range of $1.66-
$2.99. The Southeast 8 oz. block average price was $2.08, 10 cents 
below the national average, with a regional price range of $1.79-
$2.50. The Northeast average advertised price for 8 oz. cheese shreds 
was $2.36, 8 cents above the national average price, with a regional 
price range of $1.66-$3.00. In the Southeast, the average price for 8 
oz. shreds was $2.21, 7 cents below the national average, with prices 
ranging $1.99-$2.50.

WHOLESALE SELLING PRICES: DELIVERED,                             
DOLLARS PER POUND (1000 - 5000 POUNDS MIXED LOTS)                
                                                                 
Cheddar 40# Block                            : 1.8325-2.1175     
Process 5# Sliced                            : 1.5125-1.9925     
Muenster                                     : 1.8175-2.1675     
Grade A Swiss Cuts 10 - 14#                  : 3.3800-3.7025       

1100CT Jessica.Mueller@ams.usda.gov 608.422.8589
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-home