Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The combined North and South Island auction offering of 24,400 bales saw a 91% clearance and a firm to dearer market across the board, NZ Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson reports.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies was practically unchanged compared to the last sale on February 28, firming by 0.23%.
Dawson advises the fine crossbred fleece was generally slightly dearer with the shear types firm to 2% stronger.
Coarse crossbred fleece were firm to 6% stronger with the average and better style wools lifting the most. The coarse shears were firm to 3% stronger.
First lambs were also firm to 3% dearer. Oddments were 1.5 to 7% stronger with North Island wools gaining the most.
Limited competition with China dominated, supported by Australasia, Western Europe, India, Middle East and United Kingdom.
The next sale on March 14 comprises about 9,500 bales from the South Island.
Metallica's charitable foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), teamed up with Meet the Need this week for a food packing event held at the New Zealand Food Network warehouse in Auckland.
After two years, Alliance Group has returned to profit.
According to Zespri's November forecast for the 2025/26 season, returns are likely to be up for all fruit groups compared to the last forecast in August.
Next month, wool training will reach one of New Zealand's most remote communities, the Chatham Islands - bringing hands-on skills and industry connection to locals eager to step into the wool harvesting sector.
Farmers' health and wellbeing will take centre stage with a new hub at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.
Dannevirke farmer Dan Billing has been announced as the new national chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand's (B+LNZ) Farmer Council.

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