Editorial: Wool's Back in the Black
OPINION: Confidence in the wool sector is rebounding as prices hit levels not seen in more than 15 years.
Increased activity from China and India helped lift some wool sector prices significantly for the 11,700 bales on offer this week, New Zealand Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson reports.
There was an 88% clearance. The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies strengthened 0.68% with market demand overriding this potentially negative influence.
Dawson says merino fleece followed the Australian market trend over recent sales, increasing 10% to 15%. Mid micron fleece 24.5 to 26 micron was less in demand, easing by 1% to 2% with 26.5 to 31.5 micron firm to 3% stronger.
Fine crossbred full fleece came under strong competition with prices generally 5% to 7.5% dearer. Fine Crossbred 3/5 and 3/4 inch shears were also strongly contested, lifting 6% to 10%. The shorter types barely changed.
Good colour coarse crossbred fleece were 3% to 5% dearer with average styles firm to 2% dearer. Coarse Long Second Shears were 3% to 5% firmer with shorter types generally 5% to 9% stronger.
Strong competition from China and India was supported by Western Europe, Middle East, United Kingdom and Australasia.
The next sale on November 1 comprises a reduced volume of about 6800 bales of North Island wools.
New Zealand dairy farmers are set to be the first in the world to receive access to a new digital physical milk pricing tool that enables them to fix the price for their physical milk.
State farmer Pāmu is opening its farm gates this summer in an effort to give the rural sector the opportunity to see how large-scale, multi-system farming is delivering productivity and profitability across New Zealand.
A five-year study has found that the cost of reducing emissions without technology may be significant and unsustainable for Northland dairy farmers.
DairyNZ says Waikato farmers need certainty on Plan Change 1, but they say that certainty must be matched with practical, workable rules and a clear transition that doesn't get ahead of the new resource management system currently under review.
While the Government has moved quickly to make commercial hauliers' lot easier during the current fuel crisis, they appear to be stuck in the creep box when it comes to the agricultural industry.
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.

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