The DCA Cheese Index represents a weighted average of selected DCA cheese benchmark prices published by DCA Market Intelligence.
Each component follows the relevant individual DCA benchmark specification for that cheese product. These product specifications define, among other things, the product type, quality, location, delivery condition, assessment window and unit of publication.
The DCA Cheese Index is a calculated benchmark index based on published DCA cheese benchmark prices and does not represent a separately tradable physical delivery quantity.
For all cheese benchmarks included in the DCA Cheese Index, the underlying benchmark quantity is defined as a minimum of one full truckload.
For all cheese benchmarks included in the DCA Cheese Index, the underlying delivery period is defined as: picked up within one month of the assessment date.
The index is based on the locations and market definitions specified in the individual DCA cheese benchmark specifications.
Euros per metric tonne
The DCA Cheese Index is compiled from the published DCA cheese benchmark prices included in the index basket.
The underlying cheese benchmark prices are assessed by DCA Market Intelligence according to the relevant DCA benchmark methodology and the individual product specifications. Price input for the underlying benchmarks is collected from professional market participants active in the relevant cheese markets.
DCA price reporters collect, validate and assess market information, including transactions, firm bids and offers, indicative price levels and relevant market context. The collected input is assessed for relevance, timeliness, reliability and representativeness before it is used in the underlying benchmark assessments.
The DCA Cheese Index itself does not require separate price input from market participants. It is calculated from the published component benchmark prices.
The DCA Cheese Index is a weighted average of selected DCA cheese benchmark prices. The index is designed to provide a broad and representative indication of price developments in the European cheese market, based on the DCA cheese benchmark portfolio.
The component weights are based on DCA Market Intelligence’s estimate of the relative production and/or market share of the selected cheese categories. Cheese products with a larger estimated market share have a greater influence on the index.
The following weights are applied:
The DCA Cheese Index is calculated by multiplying each component benchmark price by its assigned weighting and adding the resulting values together.
The DCA Cheese Index is rounded to the nearest EUR 5 per metric tonne, unless stated otherwise on the publication page.
A brief explanation of the latest developments in the DCA Cheese Index may be published on the product page of the index on the DCA Market Intelligence platform.
If one or more underlying component benchmark prices cannot be assessed or published for a given week, DCA Market Intelligence will determine whether the index can still be calculated in a representative manner. Depending on the circumstances, DCA may decide to calculate the index using the latest available component value, publish the index with an explanatory note, postpone publication or refrain from publishing the index for that period.
If the described procedure cannot be applied for any reason, the management of DCA Market Intelligence will decide how the DCA Cheese Index will be determined or whether to refrain from calculating an index for that period. This decision will be published with an explanation where relevant.
Version: June 2026