Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
This week's North Island offering comprising 9,600 bales saw most sectors ease again except the finer lambs fleece, NZ Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson says.
There was a 55% clearance with many farmers again refusing to sell at these lower levels.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies was down only 0.29% with limited market activity and high client stock levels again being the main market influencers.
Dawson advises Fine Crossbred Shears as well as the Coarse Fleece and Shears softened 3 to 5%.
Lambs Fleece 30 micron and finer went against the trend remaining firm to 3% stronger, however the Coarser types were firm to 1%easier. Second Lambs eased 2 to 3%.
Short Oddments also eased 2 to 3%.
There was restricted competition with China and Western Europe principals and limited support elsewhere.
Next sale on Friday, April 27 (due to the mid-week National holiday) comprises approximately 14,000 bales from the South Island.
The sale of Fonterra’s global consumer and related businesses is expected to be completed within two months.
Fonterra is boosting its butter production capacity to meet growing demand.
For the most part, dairy farmers in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tairawhiti and the Manawatu appear to have not been too badly affected by recent storms across the upper North Island.
South Island dairy production is up on last year despite an unusually wet, dull and stormy summer, says DairyNZ lower South Island regional manager Jared Stockman.
Following a side-by-side rolling into a gully, Safer Farms has issued a new Safety Alert.
Coming in at a year-end total at 3088 units, a rise of around 10% over the 2806 total for 2024, the signs are that the New Zealand farm machinery industry is turning the corner after a difficult couple of years.