German mixed feed prices on the rise

Poultry feed prices saw a distinct rise, with suppliers upping their price
forecasts upwards – in parts by a large amount. The short supply of maize has
been blamed for the mixed feed price rise and analysts warned that prices are
unlikely to come down in the short term.
In north Germany, over the next few
months there will be brisk demand for dairy cattle feed. In the south, the mild
weather has led to a better-than-expected supply of basic feed, leading to
decreased demand for mixed feed. However, pig farmers are now swaying from
feeding their pigs with increasingly-scarce self-produced grain to mixed
feed.

Rape meal more expensive
Sales of rapeseed meal were down
towards the end of the year as the strong price tendency continued. In the
north, supplies are tight, with prices for the February/April contract in
Hamburg hovering at around €120/t. In northeast Germany, prices have risen to
€129/t.
Processors are now increasingly turning their focus towards soybean
and sunflower seeds following the expansion in processing capacity and limited
availability of rapeseed. The spot price of sunflowers in Riesa is stable, at
around €98/t.

High soybean prices
While current
European soybean prices are relatively high, imported soybean is becoming ever
more attractive to EU processors because of the weak US dollar. The cost of
Brazilian soymeal in Rotterdam (48% cif) stood at around €198/t in October, but
fell to an average €188/t in December. Soymeal prices on the Chicago Board of
Trade are also stable, hovering around the €155/t and €160/t
mark.