No. 1: Import cheese becomes less expensive next year (December 23, 2011)

The price of import cheese for the first six months (Jan-Jun) of 2012 will be lower that the price in the second six months (Jul-Dec) of 2011 for the first time in the past three six-month periods, because the price of natural cheese from Australia and New Zealand will decrease by 3-5% in the first six months of 2012. The price of Cheddar cheese from Oceania is used as the indicator of import cheese. Cheddar cheese from Oceania to Japan will be 4,500-4,600 dollars per ton and Gouda cheese will be 4,400-4,500 dollars per ton, decreasing by 5% and 3%, respectively. Japanese dairy foods companies like Megmilk Snow Brand negotiate with cheese exporters in Oceania through Japanese trading companies twice a year. 

Import cheese grew higher in price up to the second half-year period in 2011 because of brisk demand for milk products in newly industrialized countries including Russia and China. However, the worldwide demand did not increase as expected because of economic instability, though demand in newly industrialized countries remains active. In addition, raw milk production is growing in Oceania thanks to good weather, and milk produces in Europe also grows milk production because they did not suffer from a big natural disaster.

Japan consumes about 250,000 tons of cheese annually, of which 80% is import cheese. Oceanian cheese accounts for 70% of the import cheese market. Import natural cheese is mixed with domestic cheese to produce slice cheese. Special sale of cheese is expected to grow popular next year.