Current ZMP market trends
Livestock and Meat
In the meat wholesale markets, the demand for beef has not yet received any impetus. The cost prices for halves and quarters rose due to the increased producer prices for slaughter cattle. The sale of parts continued under unchanged conditions. At the slaughterhouse level, there was still a limited supply of young bulls and cows for slaughter. The companies therefore paid more for young bulls than before; the premiums were stronger in the northwest than in the south. Cows for slaughter also produced more in many places, but the price increases were more limited than for young bulls. The federal budget for young bulls R3 climbed by five cents to 2,51 euros per kilogram of slaughter weight, and the average price for cows O3 rose by three cents to 1,58 euros per kilogram. In the case of mail order beef to neighboring countries, slight surcharges could be enforced here and there. - Cattle for slaughter should also be offered in limited numbers in the coming week. However, further price fixes are only to be expected to a modest extent, since the revenue opportunities from the sale of beef cannot follow the development in the live cattle markets. - In line with seasonal expectations, the veal trade was steady, but at a low level. The veal prices remained mostly unchanged. As in the previous week, the providers received around 4,30 euros per kilogram of slaughter weight for slaughtered calves that were billed at a flat rate. - On the farm calf market, the well-enough supply met with calm demand. Some of the prices fell slightly.
In the meat wholesale markets pork was not traded quickly, but it was in the foreground of the market. Due to the sharp rise in producer prices, the demands for halves and cuts also increased. At the live cattle market, the continuously restricted supply of slaughter pigs could still be accommodated without any problems, although the slaughterings were reduced in some cases. Nevertheless, the payout prices tended to be firmer again. The federal funding for e-pigs rose by a further six cents to 1,29 euros per kilogram of slaughter weight. - Due to the price level that has been reached, further surcharges for slaughter pigs are likely to meet with resistance from slaughterhouses in the next few days, although the supply of slaughter animals is expected to remain limited. - The trade in piglets was determined by fixed to rising prices. The only below average offer could be sold without any problems.
Eggs and poultry
The egg market is balanced. Consumer demand is steady, but sales growth is not in sight. The interest of the egg product industry varies. If there was a good enough supply, the prices remained stable. - Subdued demand can be observed on the poultry meat market. However, the effects of bird flu in Asia have not yet been felt. The slaughterhouse sales prices for chickens remained mostly unchanged, while turkey prices fell.
milk and milkproducts
The milk volume at the dairies has recently risen only slightly and fell below the previous year's level for the first time. The producers now seem to be increasingly throttling deliveries. The weak tendencies continued on the butter market. However, after moderate sales in January, the demand for packaged goods has since picked up slightly. Butter prices fell somewhat at the beginning of February; the price structure is inconsistent. There are still large amounts of block butter. After the interest in exports has calmed down somewhat, sales to the intervention agencies can also be expected in Germany in the near future. The first contracts for private storage have now been concluded. On the cheese market, the relationship between supply and demand has continued to be balanced. Nevertheless, price cuts are repeatedly called for. Domestic sales of semi-hard cheese are satisfactory, and quantities are also being exported steadily. Russia is also picking up goods again, albeit less than in the previous year. The trade in skimmed milk powder is running smoothly, while smaller deals are possible in exports. Prices are stable at a low level, while the prices for whole milk and whey powder are trending weaker.
Cereals and feed
Sales on the grain market continue to lose momentum. The small, locally and sectorally somewhat livelier supply is offset by a quieter demand in all areas of use. Buyers are already talking about lower prices, but from the suppliers' point of view there is currently little reason to do so. Suppliers and buyers are somewhat unsettled on the bread wheat market. Although the supply has normalized through the release of EU intervention stocks, it is assumed that there will be constant demand from the mills. The bread rye market has also eased noticeably. Sufficient raw material is offered. The feed grain business continues to calm down. At the previous prices, feed barley only finds buyers sporadically. The trade in feed wheat and triticale has also adapted to the generally calmer development. Slightly higher prices have recently been demanded again for grain maize. The rates hold their own in the shipping regions of south and south-west Germany. The rest of the malting barley batches come from the main growing regions in southern Germany for marketing. Willingness to sell is revived, prices tend to be weak. Barley from the 2004 harvest is now being negotiated more frequently. However, the price expectations of producers and trading companies still differ widely. - Old-harvest rape is offered without pressure. The rapeseed prices tend to be inconsistent when business is sluggish. - In the feed sector, energy-containing individual components often still show stable prices, but yielding tendencies are increasingly coming to the fore. The prices for mill by-products and corn gluten feed fell. The oil meal markets are unsettled by the unstable US soy exchange rate, and sales are stagnating. Despite limited processing, the immediately available rapeseed meal is sufficient.
potatoes
In the meantime, storage-critical qualities are increasingly causing problems on the potato market. The range of food products is large, only top quality is scarce. The prices therefore differ more strongly, without a clearly rising trend being discernible for top games; rather, the revenues for the average product will be weaker.
Source: Bonn [ZmP]
