Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The North Island sale saw prices lift on the back of a weaker New Zealand dollar and steady off-shore interest, NZ Wool Services International Ltd's marketing executive, Paul Steel, reports.
Of the 10,000 bales on offer 97% sold. The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies compared to the last sale on January 15 was down 1.63%.
Steel advises fine crossbred fleece and shears were 1 to 4% dearer.
Coarse crossbred fleece were 1 to 3% stronger with shears generally firm to 2% dearer.
First lambs finer than 27.5 micron came under strong competition, lifting 7% with the balance 1.5 to 2.5% stronger.
Long oddments were 4 to 6% dearer with short good colour oddments firm and poorer styles up 4%.
There was well spread interest with China, India and Australasia dominating, supported by Western Europe, Middle East and the United Kingdom.
The next sale on January 29 comprises about 9,000 bales from the North Island and 12,800 bales from the South.
The Coalition Government will need the support of at least one opposition party to ratify the free trade deal with India.
Primary sector leaders have welcomed the announcement of a Free Trade Agreement between India and New Zealand.
At Pāmu’s Kepler Farm in Manapouri, mating has wrapped up at the across-breed Beef Progeny Test.
More than 150 people turned up at Parliament recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ).
Biosecurity New Zealand says Kiwis should continue to keep an eye out for yellow-legged hornets (Vespa velutina) over the holiday season.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.

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