Rural Markets

Australian consumers and the value of premium products

With temperatures heating up, all eyes are on southern Australia’s harvest prospects. As northern parts of the country experience yet another failed harvest, the southern crop will be paramount for any potential impact on current feed costs. While...

Dairy News

Australian milk production continues to slide, while global markets present opportunities

THE 2018–19 season will most certainly be remembered as an exceptionally challenging season for the Australian dairy industry. Universally high feed costs, record high temporary irrigation water costs and widespread dry seasonal conditions have...

Sofia Omstedt

Rain will be key to cow value lift: agents

There’s opportunity in current cow values for those who have feed, according to a cow leasing and agricultural finance company boss. This comes as livestock agents continue to report tough selling conditions, as farmers in northern Victoria battle...

Dairy News

Rain will be key to cow value lift: agents

There’s opportunity in current cow values for those who have feed, according to a cow leasing and agricultural finance company boss. This comes as livestock agents continue to report tough selling conditions, as farmers in northern Victoria battle...

Dairy News

Speculation mounts on farmgate milk prices

As farmers nervously await a definitive autumn break, speculation is concurrently intensifying around 2018–19 farmgate milk prices. Some processors have made early announcements, and more are likely to follow suit, as the battle to secure milk...

John Droppert

The rise of dairy alternative drinks in Australian supermarkets

Australians love dairy products and consume more dairy per capita than most other developed countries. In 2018 Australians drank close to 102 litres of milk per person with a proportion accounted for in coffees. More recently there has been an...

Sofia Omstedt

Seasonal milk outlook improves

Milk processors will be competing strongly for milk supply, with milk production slowing and robust demand from Southeast Asia and China, dairy consultants Fresh Agenda believes. The seasonal outlook has improved with slowing milk growth in key...

Dairy News

Indonesia — a growing market opportunity for Australian exporters?

INDONESIA IS the fourth most populous country in the world and one of the fastest growing economies in southeast Asia. It is also a country of increasing importance and interest among South-East major dairy exporters. While some suggest Indonesi...

Sofia Omstedt

Don’t forget global markets

WITH MANY eyes focused on the current feed shortage in Australia and resultant surge in feed costs, global markets have taken something of a back seat. Apart from helpful depreciation of the Australian dollar, there hasn’t been much to jolt our...

John Droppert

That was the year that was

IT’S THAT time of the year when we look back — sometimes in anger — at the journey of the past 12 months. This time last year we had a different prime minister, the Federal Government was still opposing the Banking Royal Commission, the...

Jo Bills

Feeding Asia’s growing appetite for cheese

THE RACE is on to win market share in Asia’s cheese market, with the region offering “a compelling growth opportunity” for Australian dairy exporters in the medium term, according to a recently released report. Despite the robust growth...

Dairy News

What business are you in?

IT’S TOUGH being a dairy farmer right now. Reading this you might say it’s always tough, but extended drought conditions that have sapped emotional and financial resources in many regions are taking a particular toll at present. Dairy Australi...

Jo Bills

Challenging season to continue

WE ARE now four months into the 2018–19 season, which has proved to be a challenging one for many dairy farmers. Unseasonably hot and dry weather saw feed costs surge over winter and have for many farmers negated the benefit of better farm gate...

Sofia Omstedt

China cops more tariffs

The Trump administration has applied a 10 per cent tariff to $200 billion of Chinese imports from September 24. RaboResearch dairy analyst Emma Higgins said President Trump has also threated this tariff could be lifted to 25 per cent by the end of...

Dairy News

South America starts to stir

SOUTH AMERICA, with its abundant natural resources, is an oft-cited land of opportunity for agricultural production, including dairy. However, volatile climatic and political conditions, together with widespread infrastructure challenges and...

John Droppert

Freedom investment flagged

THE SHEPPARTON UHT dairy factory of Freedom Foods will become the cornerstore of the company’s dairy push with $70 million earmarked for investment at the site during the next 12 months. The company is planning to boost its milk throughput on the...

Geoff Adams

Brexit hangs over Eucolait meeting

FRESH AGENDA was fortunate enough to attend and present our global market outlook at the September Eucolait meeting in Brussels last month. Eucolait, or the European Association of Dairy Trade, represents the interests of European exporters...

Jo Bills

Is a $9 milk price possible in 2030?

AS YOU read this, the factors affecting the outlook for global commodity markets are finely balanced, with much swinging on weather — so nothing new. Europe has been baking — heat has clipped milk output, crops wither and silage reserves for...

Steve Spencer

Local demand for dairy keeps growing

DEMAND FOR dairy products has increased steadily across Australia, as evidenced by the numbers from the 2017–18 season currently rolling in. Australians are buying more milk and over the past ten years milk sold in supermarkets has increased close...

Sofia Omstedt