GLOBAL dairy product buyers are still searching for a better-balanced price, said the Dutch Dairy Board in its market assessment last week.

THE Dutch Dairy Board has reported buyer resistance to fast-rising dairy product prices.

IRISH co-ops increased milk prices from 2009 to 2010 by about 30%, according to figures for 17 major processors compiled by the Dutch Dairy Board.

LOWER expectations of worldwide milk output growth, and strong demand from importers like Russia and China, are expected to support dairy product prices for the first quarter of 2011.

SOURCES in the Dutch Dairy Board predict sustained international prices to the end of the year, but say the market is less certain in 2011.

RENEWED firmness in the global dairy market was suggested by last week’s 15.7% price rebound in the Fonterra trade auction, after two successive monthly declines.

IRISH milk prices have gone from last in the EU last year to the top flight, in a monthly comparison compiled by the Dutch Dairy Board.

THE EU opened tenders last week for the sale of butter and skimmed milk powder from public intervention stores.

DAIRY product markets have swung slightly in favour of Europe, according to experts at the Dutch Dairy Board.

MANY farmers will go out of business while waiting for EU politicians to take action, said IFA president Pádraig Walshe after EU agriculture ministers made no new moves to help dairy farmers at their meeting last Monday.

DAIRY farmers hoping for milk prices to upturn have been advised to keep an eye on the currency markets. Sources at the Dutch Dairy Board warned that the fast-declining US dollar makes EU dairy exports less competitive.

GLANBIA’S milk price slumped to last place in the Dutch Dairy Board’s international milk price review for March.

FURTHER milk price declines are predicted in the coming months by the Dutch Dairy Board.

DAIRY farmers in eight European countries protested in the past week over low milk prices.

FUNDAMENTAL forces in the international market for dairy commodities that drove 2007 prices up remain in place, according to the Dutch Dairy Board.

PRICES of most basic dairy commodities rebounded from the start of 2008, according to the Dutch Dairy Board.

RAPID price falls for basic dairy commodities have bottomed out, according to the Dutch Dairy Board.

A WINTER milk allowance of 8.6c per litre kept Glanbia at the top of a European milk price league in November.

CONTINUING high milk prices are forecast, in the international milk price review compiled by the Dutch Dairy Board (Productschap Zuivel), in co-operation with the European Dairy Farmers group.

IRISH co-ops have shot up the rankings in EU milk price tables.

IRISH milk price increases in the year to May were surpassed only in Belgium, according to the EU section of the international milk price review compiled by the Dutch Dairy Board (Productschap Zuivel).

A 33% annual rise in the Northern Ireland Milk Auction price is viewed as a favourable barometer of the commodity milk price trend in Ireland.