Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
A firming NZ dollar and more reserved overseas buying combined to lower most prices at this week’s wool auction, says NZWSI.
The weighted currency indicator lifted by 1.04% with 93% of the 6,660 bales on offer selling, says NZWSI marketing executive, Malcolm Ching.
Ching says compared to the South Island sale on September 10, the North Island offering saw fine crossbred full fleece and longer shears ease 4 to 6% with less interest in this sector from the Chinese market currently.
Shorter shears were firm to 1.5% easier, with interest for these types continuing. Coarse full-length fleece were 2.5% cheaper with shears ranging from firm to 3% softer. Oddments were up to 2% easier.
Ching says China continues as the main market influence, supported by Western Europe, Middle East, and Australasia.
The next sale on September 24 comprises about 9,200 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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