Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The local market lifted significantly for the 10,400 bales on offer at the South Island sale this week, NZ Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson says.
The weakening NZ dollar, particularly against the US dollar which was down 4.97% compared to the last sale on May 9 and the weighted currency indicator down 3.91% was the principal market influence. This was supported by recent strong purchasing interest and a seasonal limited wool supply.
Dawson says a nominal offering of mid micron fleece were firm to 3% dearer.Fine crossbred fleece lifted up to 3.5% with the second shears 5 to 8% stronger. Good colour coarse crossbred fleece lifted 6% with poorer styles 2.5 to 5.5% dearer.
Coarse longer second shears were 4 to 6.5% firmer with shorter types 5 to 9% stronger. First lambs fleece ranged from 3 to 7% dearer. All coarse oddments were 9 to 10% stronger.Strong competition from Western Europe, Australasia and the United Kingdom was supported by China, India and the Middle East.
The next sale on the May 30 comprises 11,300 bales from the North Island.
The new majority owner of meat company Alliance has no plans to close any processing plants. Instead, Dawn Meats plans to extract more value from Alliance's existing footprint.
Westpac NZ has announced new initiatives that aim to give customers more options to do their banking in person.
New Zealand red meat exports experienced a 29% increase year-on-year in September, according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
The head of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) biosecurity operation, Stuart Anderson, has defended the cost and the need for a Plant Healht and Environment Laboratory (PHEL) being built in Auckland.
BNZ says its new initiative, helping make the first step to farm ownership or sharemilking a little easier, is being well received by customers and rural professionals.
The head of Fonterra's R&D facility in Palmerston North is set to literally cross the road and become the new vice chancellor at Massey University.

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