MD_DA840                                                         
DA                                                               
MD DA840 Cheese - West                                           

MADISON, WI.  April 28, 2015 (REPORT 17)                         

WEST CHEESE                                                      
                                                                 
Most cheese plants in the West have active schedules and there is good 
demand for the output.  Customers are still buying good volumes of 
cheese.  The question is increasingly asked, is current demand active 
or holding inventories of cheese for consumption later in the year?  
Whatever the answer, sales are strong and that is enough to keep 
production schedules active.  Recent demand spikes for barrels were 
taken as typical by some manufacturers who cite building inventories 
for the grilling season as a factor in higher seasonal demand for 
process cheese, made primarily from barrel cheese.  The DMN National 
Retail Report-Dairy for the week of April 24 - 30 shows the U.S. 
weighted average advertised retail price for an 8 ounce pack of 
natural shredded cheese is $2.54, up $.24 from last week and up $.10 
from a year ago.  Packs averaged $2.54 in the Southwest and $2.55 in 
the Northwest.  For 8 ounce blocks, the U.S. price is $2.38, up 16 
cents from last week and up 17 cents from a year ago.  Blocks in the 
Southwest averaged $2.39 and in the Northwest, $2.37.  NASS reports in 
March 31, 2015 Cold Storage, that Mountain Region (Montana, Idaho, 
Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico) American 
cheese stocks were 13% less than one year earlier and 4% lower than 
one month earlier.  Other natural cheese stocks were 24% less than a 
year ago and 5% lower than a month ago.  Pacific Region (Washington, 
Oregon, and California) American cheese stocks were 17% less than one 
year earlier and 8% less than a month before.  Other natural cheese 
stocks were 41% above a year ago and 10% above a month ago.  Western 
wholesale prices are up $.0075 for process, unchanged for Grade A 
Swiss cuts 6 - 9#, and up $.0275 for the remaining varieties.  In CME 
Group trading Wednesday, Barrels closed at $1.6175, down $.0025 from last 
Wednesday and Blocks closed at $1.6100, unchanged.  

WHOLESALE SELLING PRICES:  DELIVERED, DOLLARS PER POUND          
(1000 - 5000 POUNDS MIXED LOTS)                                  
                                                               
Process 5# Loaf                              : 1.7450-2.0025     
Cheddar 40# Block                            : 1.7125-2.1575     
Cheddar 10# Cuts                             : 1.8925-2.1125     
Monterey Jack 10#                            : 1.9025-2.0625     
Grade A Swiss Cuts 6 - 9#                    : 2.8300-3.2600     


1530CT eric.graf@ams.usda.gov 608.557.7005
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-home