Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The 9400 bales on offer in the South Island this week saw a 91% clearance and an overall stronger market, says NZ Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies was 0.71% lower than the last sales on February 21, adding impetus to local price levels.
Dawson says a small offering of Mid Micron wool 25 to 29 microns were nominally 2% dearer.
Fine Crossbred Fleece 32 to 35 micron were firm to 3% stronger with the Second Shears firm to 1% dearer.
Good style coarse carpet fleece were 1.5 to 2.5% stronger with the poorer styles 2.5 to 4% dearer. Longer coarse shears increased 1.5 to 4% with the shorter types firm to 2.5% dearer.
First Lambs Fleece 31 micron and finer were 1 to 3% dearer with coarser types 3% stronger.
Combing oddments lifted by 3 to 4% with shorter oddments firm to 2% dearer.
Competition was good among China, India and Australasia principals, supported by Middle East, Western Europe and the United Kingdom.
The next sale March 7 comprises about 16,000 bales from the North Island and 8800 bales from the South Island.
Fonterra’s impending exit from the Australian dairy industry is a major event but the story doesn’t change too much for farmers.
Expect greater collaboration between Massey University’s school of Agriculture and Environment and Ireland’s leading agriculture university, the University College of Dublin (UCD), in the future.
A partnership between Torere Macadamias Ltd and the Riddet Institute aims to unlock value from macadamia nuts while growing the next generation of Māori agribusiness researchers.
A new partnership between Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) and NZAgbiz aims to make evidence-based calf rearing practices accessible to all farm teams.
Despite some trying circumstances recently, the cherry season looks set to emerge on top of things.
Changed logos on shirts otherwise it will be business as usual when Fonterra’s consumer and related businesses are expected to change hands next month.

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