Editorial: Morale booster
OPINION: The first three Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auctions have been a morale booster for farmers.
Global dairy prices fell for the fourth consecutive time at the Global Dairy Trade auction last week.
The overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction on Wednesday saw the price index drop by 3.9%; whole milk powder prices dropped 4.2% to US$2797/metric tonne.
Rabobank senior dairy analyst Emma Higgins says clearly the onset of coronavirus stalled the upward trajectory in global dairy prices visible in late 2019 and the corona hangover continues as evidenced by the GDT Event.
She says the results are now the fourth decline for 2020.
“The GDT Price Index moved lower by 4% with average prices now sitting below USD 3,000/tonne (USD 2,980/tonne). This is now in line with average prices back in January last year. Buyers and sellers are still scrambling to assess the market impact as the spread of the virus moves from China to more broadly across the globe.”
Key results
AMF index up 1.0%, average price US$4,331/MT
Butter index up 0.3%, average price US$4,144/MT
BMP not offered
Ched index up 2.6%, average price US$4,398/MT
LAC index up 4.9%, average price US$914/MT
RenCas index up 1.0%, average price US$9,987/MT
SMP index down 8.1%, average price US$2,527/MT
SWP index not available, average price not available
WMP index down 4.2%, average price US$2,797/MT
Global trade has been thrown into another bout of uncertainty following the overnight ruling by US Supreme Court, striking down President Donald Trump's decision to impose additional tariffs on trading partners.
Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in the Auckland suburb of Mt Roskill have been lifted.
Fonterra farmer shareholders and unit holders are in line for another payment in April.
Farmers are being encouraged to take a closer look at the refrigerants running inside their on-farm systems, as international and domestic pressure continues to build on high global warming potential (GWP) 400-series refrigerants.
As expected, Fonterra has lifted its 2025-26 forecast farmgate milk price mid-point to $9.50/kgMS.
Bovonic says a return on investment study has found its automated mastitis detection technology, QuadSense, is delivering financial, labour, and animal-health benefits on New Zealand dairy farms worth an estimated $29,547 per season.
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