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.
The strong dollar, restricted off-shore interest and high volumes of one wool category on offer this week saw local prices ease.
The strong dollar, restricted off-shore interest and high volumes of one wool category on offer this week saw local prices ease.
New Zealand Wool Services marketing executive, Malcolm Ching says of the 12,180 bales on offer from the predominantly short second shear wools in the North Island, 77% sold.
The weighted currency indicator compared to the previous weeks' auction lifted 0.65%.
Ching advises that compared to the similar offering of North Island wools on June 9:
Fine crossbred shears were 2 to 4% cheaper.
Coarse crossbred full fleece were firm to 3.5% easier.
Coarse shears were down 3 to 6% with the shorter types affected the most.
Short first lambs were 2 to 4% softer.
Coarse short oddments were 2.5 to 5.5% cheaper.
There was limited interest with Australasia, Western Europe, United Kingdom principals, supported by India, Middle East and China.
The news sale on June 30 comprises about 11,300 bales from the South Island.
Oamaru-based livestock handling specialist Te Pari has bought Combi Clamp, the New Zealand manufacturer of Combi Clamp manual sheep handlers.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has admitted that a scheme bringing workers from Pacific nations to work on orchards has become too hard to navigate but says changes are coming.
A new app designed in New Zealand aims to help sheep, beef and deer farmers capture, analyse and use body condition score data more effectively.
Canterbury farmer Andy Macfarlane has been appointed to the board of AgriZeroNZ, the public-private partnership designed to accelerate the development and deployment of emissions reduction tools for New Zealand farmers.
For over 50 years Mel Ewers has been supporting the apple sector navigate through compliance and quality assurance issues.
The apple sector is enjoying a bumper harvest season.

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