Dairy Markets Week in Review

Cash cheese prices saw little change the last week of October as the temporary increased government purchases prices were likely returned to their previous levels on Halloween Day. The block cheese price closed Friday at $1.51 per pound, up a penny on the week but 9 3/4-cents below a year ago when they plunged 13 cents, to $1.6075. Barrel closed Friday at $1.4875, down a half-cent on the week and 19 3/4-cents below a year ago. Eleven cars of block traded hands this week and one of barrel. The NASS-surveyed U.S. average block price hit $1.4523, up 3.2 cents. Barrel averaged $1.4592, up 3 cents.

Butter closed at $1.41, up 6 cents on the week, but 27 1/2-cents below a year ago. Fourteen cars were sold. NASS butter averaged $1.2473, up 2.6 cents.

Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk gained a penny this week, closing at $1.3350, while Extra Grade remained at $1.27. NASS nonfat powder averaged $1.0345, down 1.2 cents, and dry whey averaged 32.64 cents per pound, up 0.6 cent.

There were no price support purchases on the week, leaving the cumulative total on nonfat dry milk at 132,276 pounds. That compares to 24 million pounds that week a year ago. Dairy Export Incentive Program bid acceptances included 462,966 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 123,458 pounds of Cheddar cheese.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.