New Zealand news

Tight milk sends processors toward cheese and whey

Seasonally tight milk is pushing European and US processors toward cheese and whey, lifting cream and SMP while butter stocks stay at decade highs.

US milk: a summer hiccup or a real shift?

Heat has thinned US milk supply and lifted NFDM, but a growing herd and a wide feed-to-milk margin suggest the tightness fades once Q4 arrives.

Whey protein's climb stalls before Q4 contracting

Reformulation has cut WPC80 demand going into Q4, stalling the climb, while MPC85, lactose and whey permeate tighten across Europe and the US.

US butter, cheese and milk powder prices converge near $1.50

Butter, both cheese grades and NFDM are trading within cents of $1.50 a pound on the CME board, a rare level of convergence.

Cheese prices hold firm through a summer that's usually quiet

Europe's cheese market is holding firm and even edging higher through what's normally a slow season, with buyers already locking in Q4 volumes.

Butter and milk powder markets test their stock cushion

Heavy production has left butter, SMP, and WMP stocks well supplied, and the second half of the year will show how much of that cushion gets drawn down.

US cheddar closes the gap with New Zealand

US cheddar jumped 10% on the month to $1.60/lb while New Zealand fell to a 20-month low, closing a price gap that opened the year at a record 75 cents.

Whey protein pauses for breath as lactose keeps firming

Whey protein has paused after an extended run higher as buyers tire at current levels, even as lactose keeps firming on stubbornly tight supply.

A heatwave lifted EU butter and SMP. Will it hold?

A European heatwave cut milk and cream output, lifting EU spot butter nearly 3% and SMP about 2%. But with stocks near a five-year high, will the rally hold?

Whey protein pauses for breath, but the market stays tight

With Q3 purchasing largely wrapped up, the sharp price increases of recent weeks across the whey protein concentrate complex are losing some momentum. More...

US milk powder prices slip as production growth cools

US nonfat dry milk prices fell about $0.20/lb, or roughly $500/mt, in the space of a week, and global skim milk powder markets moved with them. New Zealand...

European cheese markets ease into summer lull as Q3 demand completes

European cheese prices edged higher over the past few weeks on seasonal temperature gains and Q3 forward buying, before stalling last week as the bulk of...

European butter builds up while US milk powder holds the global floor

The global dairy market is running two distinct stories. In milk protein, tightness remains the headline, particularly in the US where NFDM is trading at...

WPC80 prices at record levels as new protein demand grows faster than supply

The whey protein market is running an unusual experiment: higher prices are attracting both more supply and more demand simultaneously, with demand growing...

European cheese prices rise as Q3 buyers return

European cheese prices have moved higher over the past two weeks, but the rally has come in stops and starts. After a quiet stretch where Q2 coverage was...

US milk powder shortage pulls EU and Oceania SMP prices higher

European and New Zealand SMP prices climbed again this week, with the latest GDT auction confirming the move. NZ SMP surpassed $3600/mt at the event, and...

Butter weakens while milk powders climb on record US NFDM pricing

Butter and milk powder markets are moving in opposite directions, with heavy milk flows pressuring butterfat across Europe, the United States and New...

Australian sheep meat exports decline sharply in March as MENA shipments contract

Australian sheep meat exports pulled back materially in March 2026, with total combined lamb and mutton shipments reaching 42,656 tonnes, down 24% year on...

Butter leads dairy prices lower at start of Q2 flush season

Dairy commodity markets have entered a calmer phase at the start of Q2, with the arrival of the flush season adding pressure to butter, SMP, and WMP prices...

WPC80 shortage drives protein markets into uncharted territory

The global whey protein market is moving in two very different directions. At one end, WPC80 is in a pressing structural supply shortage with no near-term...

European butter prices correct sharply while SMP holds firm

European butter prices fell sharply last week, dropping from close to EUR 5,000/mt to as low as EUR 4,200/mt within a few days. The correction followed an...

NFDM prices approach 10-year highs as US supply tightens

US non-fat dry milk (NFDM) prices have continued their upward run, rising a further USD 0.08/lb compared to a week ago, a 4.53% increase. Prices are now...

NFDM prices approach 10-year highs despite record milk surplus

Non-fat dry milk prices rose a further 4.53% this week, leaving them just $0.055/lb below 10-year highs. The move comes against a backdrop of surging milk...

Chocolate forecast 2026: cocoa, sugar, vegetable oils, nuts

Chocolate manufacturers are navigating an ingredient landscape that looks very different today from where it started the year. Cocoa has come down sharply,...

European butter forecast: rangebound in H1 2026, with recovery expected as milk tightens in H2

European butter markets are entering 2026 with ample supply. Strong milk production throughout 2025, particularly in the second half of the year, has...

European dairy market forecast 2026: milk, butter, smp, wmp, swp, cheeses

The European dairy market in 2026 is not one market, it's a collection of very different stories depending on which product you're buying. Some categories...

Lactose market forecast 2026: stability returns after 2025 price spike

The lactose market experienced significant price increases during 2025, driven primarily by tightness in the US market that pulled European prices higher....

SMP market forecast 2026: US production shortfall pulls international buyers toward Europe

The global skim milk powder market has shifted significantly from what was expected at the start of 2026. Rather than a supply-heavy, export-dependent...

US Dairy forecast: milk, butter, smp, cheeses, WPC80

The US dairy market entered 2026 expected to be well-supplied across most categories. That picture has changed materially. Butter is tight, powder is tight, ...

US dairy market forecast 2026: butter stocks at five-year low as demand and exports tighten supply

US butter markets have proven considerably tighter than initially anticipated heading into 2026. January production came in at 231 million pounds, up 6%...

WMP forecast 2026: EU and New Zealand prices converge for first time since 2021

European Whole Milk Powder pricing is driven by the combined dynamics of butter and skim milk powder, alongside overall milk availability. With butter...

WPC80 market forecast 2026: Q2 volumes near sold out as demand outpaces supply across all major regions

WPC80 stands apart from the broader dairy complex, with market dynamics driven primarily by demand rather than milk availability. That firm tone is expected ...

Tight skimmed milk powder supply supports global prices

Global skimmed milk powder prices remain supported as limited supply in the US and Oceania meets steady import demand and rising exports...

WPC80 shortage keeps whey market firmly bullish

Global whey markets stay bullish as tight WPC80 supply and strong demand across nutrition and food sectors leave Q2 volumes nearly sold out.

Dairy markets firm on scarce offers and strong export demand

A shortage of offers is pushing butter and SMP prices higher across Europe, the US, and Oceania. Here's what's driving the moves and what...

WPC80 market tightens further as Q2 volumes near sold out across Europe and the US

Whey protein concentrate 80 markets are tightening fast, with Q2 volumes nearly sold out across Europe and the US. Buyers are now...

WPC80 shortage intensifies with producers in control of pricing and allocation

Global whey protein concentrate 80 market reaches critical tightness with structural shortage affecting all whey products. Producers control pricing as domestic

Global milk production overwhelms demand, timing mismatches amplify market pain

US cheese prices hit 2025 lows while butter spread to retail exceeds $2.77/lb as strong milk production from US, Europe, and NZ...

European butter surplus climbs to 106,000 metric tons

European butter production surged 5.09% in 2025, creating a 106,000 MT surplus. With cream cheap at €5,500/MT and buyers already covered...

European SMP prices supported by euro weakness as currency movements influence global markets

EUR/USD movement from 1.17 to 1.14-1.15 is currently supporting European skim milk powder prices despite fundamental weakness...

US butter prices drop sharply on CME as abundant milk supply weighs on dairy markets

CME butter prices fall sharply as US milk production grows 3% year-over-year alongside increased output from New Zealand and Europe...

Butter markets show temporary stability but underlying weakness remains

European butter trades below €5000/mt as abundant milk supplies pressure dairy markets. SMP and WMP prices expected to decline further...

European cheese prices fall as milk production surpluses mount

European cheese prices decline across Gouda, Mozzarella, Cheddar and Emmental as milk production surpluses of 5-7% YOY create abundant supply

Butter, SMP and WMP tip in buyers' favor amid Q4 oversupply

Global dairy markets favor buyers as heavy stocks meet weak demand. Butter, SMP, and WMP prices decline with production costs narrowing...

US dairy markets rebound as butter and cheese prices rise on CME

US dairy markets turned green this week with butter and cheese prices bouncing back on the CME. Analysis of cold storage data, price...

Global butter prices plummet as oversupply hits all major markets

Butter prices collapse below 10-year averages as milk production surges 5.44% in US and 2.46% in New Zealand. Food manufacturers face...

US dairy prices tumble as global competition intensifies

US dairy prices tumble with butter at $1.805/lb as European markets weaken. Global competition and EUR/USD currency shifts create downward...

Cheese markets under pressure as European and US spot prices decline

EU and US cheese markets face pressure as buyers delay purchases and spot prices decline across Cheddar, Gouda, Mozzarella varieties.

US dairy markets fall through support levels as milk oversupply weighs on prices

US butter prices fell through $2/lb support level during bearish dairy trading week. Milk production up 3.45% YOY drives butter down 39%...

Global dairy markets plunge as oversupply overwhelms demand across all categories

Global dairy markets plunge as unprecedented milk oversupply overwhelms demand. Analysis of butter crash, SMP weakness, and production cycle implications.

Global dairy markets tumble as demand weakness triggers widespread price declines

Dairy markets face sharp declines as demand weakness triggers widespread selling. Butter approaches critical $2/lb level while milk powder prices fall over 5% a

European cheese markets join widespread dairy price declines as buyers retreat

European cheese markets drive widespread dairy price declines as buyers delay purchases. Cheddar, Gouda, Mozzarella, and Emmental...

European cheese markets show widening price spreads

European cheese prices show €500/mt spreads between buyer bids and seller offers. Cheddar, gouda, and mozzarella markets face pressure as...

Why are U.S. butter prices declining while Europe and New Zealand’s remain high?

U.S. butter prices are under pressure from oversupply, while European and New Zealand markets remain elevated.

August 1 dairy tariffs set to reshape US import markets as European butter hits €7,000

July 21, 2025 - Vesper Market Intelligence With August 1 rapidly approaching, the impending dairy tariff increases are creating significant market tension...

US dairy markets rally across all products as July 4th legislation drives optimism

US dairy prices surge across all CME products as new congressional legislation boosts markets. Butter and cheese hit production records in May data.

Dairy markets surge as peak milk season ends, butter prices trigger buyer anxiety

Dairy markets rally as Northern Hemisphere exits peak milk production. Butter hits €7,500/mt amid supply fears. Raw milk, cream prices jump.

Oceanian prices exceed expectations on the GDT

Latest Vesper market report reveals Oceania WMP jumped $365/mt at GDT while European butter falls to €7,100/mt amid peak milk production. Discover critical EU-U

US-China tariffs disrupt global dairy market: whey markets see 38% price gap

Latest dairy market intelligence reveals significant price divergence as US-China tariffs disrupt global whey supply chains. See how production growth across US

Global dairy markets face perfect storm: US tariffs, FMD, and supply imbalances

Discover how new US tariffs, China's retaliation, and European FMD cases are reshaping global dairy trade patterns.

Egg Prices Increase Amid Avian Influenza Crisis: What You Need to Know

Egg prices are skyrocketing as Avian Influenza disrupts global supply chains. Discover to what extent egg shortages are worsening.

The Global Impact of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on the Dairy Market

Explore the impact of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on the global dairy market, from price shifts and buyer preferences to trade bans.

Butter Market Faces Uncertainty: Price Declines and Bumpy Road Ahead

Explore the uncertainty in the butter market, with expected volatility ahead. Stay informed on what is shaping the 2025 outlook

GDT Event Sees Significant Price Declines Across Dairy Products

Global Dairy Trade (GDT) event sees significant price drops across dairy products, including butter, SMP, and WMP.

Butter Market Update: Tight Supply and Steady Demand Keep Prices High

As of June 19, 2024, the EU Vesper Price Index (VPI) for butter stands at €6600 EUR/MT. Discover the price drivers here...

Valorisation of butter and SMP catches up with cheese in European market

Learn how tight supplies, lower production, and high demand are influencing prices in the EU, US, and New Zealand.

Dairy market insights: Price gaps for butter and powder are decreasing among the major producing regions

Explore the latest dairy market update revealing a significant reduction in butter price gaps across major regions (Europe, Oceania, US).

Bullish shift within the butter and whey market

Explore the bullish trends in the butter and whey market with Vesper. Get expert analysis to guide your investment decisions.

Growing concerns about global demand for dairy products

Discover the Growing Concerns in the Dairy Industry: Will Milk Prices Hold Steady at $2350/mt? Uncover the Uncertainty Surrounding Dairy Demand and Commodity Pr

High cheese prices among weaker dairy complex: How much longer can the cheese market maintain its current prices?

Stay informed on cheese prices & trends, navigate fluctuating milk production's impact on valorisation & exports.

Cheese Highlights

Discover fresh cheese market updates, price trends, and forecasts to make smarter buying decisions and manage volatility.

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