Rabobank: Momentum Is Building in Sustainable Beef

Strong beef demand in China, with imports in 1H 2019 up by more than 50% YOY, and trade uncertainty – including the US-China trade war, Brexit, and new Mercosur access to the EU – are the dominant themes in global beef, according to Rabobank’s Beef Quarterly for Q3 2019.

Senior animal protein analyst Angus Gidley-Baird: “The supply position in the US remains solid, while supply in Australia and New Zealand is tight, but improving in Brazil. At the same time, beef production globally is coming under increasing scrutiny over its impact on animals and the environment. The past 12 months have seen a marked increase in beef supply chain responses to such scrutiny, and we expect even more in the coming 12 months.”

Rabobank expects this pace of change around sustainability in beef supply chains to increase further. The market will continue to... 

Poultry Quarterly Q3 2019: Improved but Fragile Market Conditions

Global poultry has experienced gradually improving market conditions in 1H 2019, and this trend is expected to remain over the coming months.

The main driver for the market improvement has been a more balanced supply in key trading markets like Brazil Thailand, the US and the EU. The gradual improvement has come despite global trade volumes being disappointing due to ongoing trade issues. China is the best performing poultry industry, with exceptionally high poultry prices due to the shift from pork to poultry as a result of the worsening situation with African Swine Fever (ASF) and very low breeding stock levels, which has pushed PS and DOC prices up to historically high levels.

The global poultry market has been on a rollercoaster ride in the past year, with a large oversupply in 2H 2018 and early 2019 greatly affecting prices for globally-traded poultry products...

African Swine Fever Affects China's Pork Consumption

China’s pork consumption has dropped by 10% to 15%, year-to-date, by our estimates, driven by food safety concerns. The level of consumption change varies greatly between the different distribution channels. Looking forward, and reflecting on the current situation and trends, it is quite possible we have seen the ‘peak’ of pork consumption.

Pork Consumption in China has Dropped by 10% to 15%

The losses in China’s pig herd are very difficult to estimate – estimated losses range from 20% to 70%. Data from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) has the sow herd down by 22% in the year to April – this is one of the most optimistic estimates we have seen. However, hog and pork prices struggled in April and May, after a brief surge in March, raising significant questions...

Beef Quarterly Q2 2019: Changing of the Guard in the Beef Trimmings Market

The world’s largest beef importer, China, is at the centre of growth in beef trade in general, and trimmings trade specifically. Many of the cuts imported by China have been to satisfy the local cuisine. But as diets and foodservice change, this now includes a growing trend in trimmings trade.

The growing demand for trimmings from Asian countries will create additional competition for the US but it is not expected to shift the market yet. Suppliers of trimmings into the global market should be conscious of possible changes in the trade. While steady growth is evident in the Chinese market to date, a short-term demand increase across all proteins as a result of African Swine Fever will likely cause a spike in demand for trimmings...

Restaurant Food Costs: What does ASF Mean for Protein Prices in the US?

Rabobank expects food costs in the US to increase in the second half of the year, as protein prices are impacted by stronger export demand following the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak. Pork and chicken prices will be the most impacted. Beef will be the last to see increases materialize, but QSR patty prices are expected to be the most vulnerable component. If a trade agreement with China were to be brokered, price increases would be faster and steeper.

Restaurants Should Expect Rising Protein Prices

For the past two years, restaurants have been favored by a relatively benign food cost environment, which helped compensate for rising costs in other areas (labor, real estate). We expect this situation to change (for proteins) towards the second half of the year and...

Rabobank: China and Trade Restrictions Drivers for an Improving, but Volatile Global Poultry Outlook

Trade conditions are gradually improving for global poultry thanks to rising global demand – especially from China, which is expected to face a protein shortage this year.

In recent quarters, the global poultry market has gone through one of the most volatile periods in many years, due to a combination of factors, including trade and disease restrictions, along with the impact of the US-Chinese trade war. Production was at an exceptionally high level in many markets, including the US, the EU, and Thailand. Meanwhile, demand dropped because of a general market slowdown and constraints on access to international markets following trade restrictions. This resulted in a period of falling poultry prices between Q2 and Q4 2018.

“However," according to Nan-Dirk Mulder, senior animal protein analyst, "the outlook is changing, Rabobank is gradually becoming more optimistic that ...

Rabobank Beef Quarterly Q1 2019: China’s Trade Sending Waves through South-East Asia

Stricter border policing in China as a consequence of African swine fever is restricting the unofficial meat trade, with flow-on effects in other countries, according to the latest RaboReseach Beef Quarterly report.

Following the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in August 2018, the Chinese government strengthened border controls. Rabobank believes the increased enforcement measures have led to the sharp decline in the volume of trade through unofficial channels in Q4 2018. The increased Chinese border enforcement has slowed unofficial bovine trade from Hong Kong and Vietnam. Subsequently we have seen Vietnamese imports of Indian carabeef in Q4 2018 down 60% YOY at 120,370 tonnes and in turn Indian buffalo prices have dropped. But this could easily be reversed.

Other important developments include ...

Rabobank: The Impending Geopolitical G&O Bull/Bear Cycle

The outcome of the current US-China trade negotiations will be drastic and enduring. G&O commodity markets are not reflecting the high risk of extreme impacts of either ‘no-deal’ or ‘super-deal’. The G&O value chain needs to prepare for the next geopolitical bull/bear cycle.

Geopolitical decisions, more than global fundamental supply-and-demand dynamics, threaten to make or break the next G&O bull market. The trade war between the world’s largest producer (the US) and importer (China) of G&O upended global trade fundamentals and precipitated...

Pork Quarterly Q1 2019: Another Uncertain Year – with More Complex Disease and Trade Issues

As 2019 gets underway, we see another year full of potential in global pork, with growth in production and demand in many parts of the world. Yet this is overshadowed by the uncertainty created by complex disease and trade issues, as can be read in the just-released RaboResearch report ‘Pork Quarterly Q1 2019: Another Uncertain Year – With More Complex Disease and Trade Issues’.

Report summary

Rising disease pressures are challenging the global market. “African swine fever (ASF) stands out as the single biggest challenge facing global pork in 2019,” according to Chenjun Pan, Senior Analyst – Animal Protein. “The changes ASF will bring create opportunities for some, and threats for others.” China’s need to lift imports will incentivise continued growth in key exporting countries, but how much pork China will import remains ...

Not to Be a Pest: Why Insects Are Gaining Popularity as Feed and Food

The insect industry is quickly ramping up, fuelled by recent capital flows. In the near term, we see more potential for insect proteins as (aqua-)feed than as food. In the longer term, if consumers fall in love with insects, we expect more insect-based products also on supermarket shelves.

Increasing investor interest is driving growth in the insect sector

Recent investment flows into the insect sector are enabling faster growth of insect protein production. The investments received by the sector in 2018 are 40% higher than the sum of investments received in the last four years. Some of the largest investments of 2018 were received by companies growing black soldier fly...

Rabobank: Global Food Price Stability in 2019 Threatened by Trade Wars, Disease and El Niño

A “melting pot” of risks – including US trade war with China, disease and extreme weather – threaten global food price stability next year, according to research from Rabobank, the specialist food and agribusiness bank.

In its annual Outlook reports, which analyse the prospects for more than 15 agricultural commodities, meat and seafood, Rabobank says that while the global food price environment remains relatively stable, ongoing geopolitical tension, the threat of El Niño weather system and diseases affecting livestock bring great uncertainty to the outlook for 2019.

Stefan Vogel, head of agri commodity markets at Rabobank and report co-author, said: “The agri commodity price environment may be relatively stable currently, but it’s difficult to remember a time there were so many threats to...