Domestic cheese consumption in Germany, now at an estimated an-
nual 20.5kg per head, is still rising. But production is almost bound to begin a downward trend in 1999, according to German market research organisation ZMP.
The reason for the decline is said to be continued depression in the Russian market, where Germany sent some 47,000 tonnes of cheese in the first six months of 1998. This represents something like 470 million litres of milk, and the temporary loss of this important market means most of this liquid is being poured into butter and milk powder production.
As a result, prices have crashed. Butter is down to