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.
CONCERNS OVER Europe’s economy has hit wool consumer and processor confidence, making many buyers stand out of the market, says Wool Services International.
That resulted in an average 4% easing in prices at yesterday’s (December 8) auction. With sellers reluctant to accept lower market levels 31% was passed in.
Currency played little part, the weighted indicator for the main trading currencies being just 0.14% up since last week’s auction.
WSI says fine crossbred full fleece as well as 3/5 and 3/4 inch shears were 3 to 4% softer with the shorter types discounted by 5 to 8%.
Coarse crossbred fleece was 3.5 to 5% easier with longer shears 3 to 6% cheaper and 2/4 and 2/3 inch shears 6 to 7% weaker.
Coarse combing oddments ranged from 5 to 8% cheaper. Clothing oddments 2/4 inch resisted the trend and increased by 1%, but shorter types were up to 4% softer.
China and Australasia dominated the buying.
The next sale, December 15, comprises approximately 6,600 bales from the North Island and 6,900 bales from the South Island, which is 9,000 bales less than the anticipated rostered quantities.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) says no new cases of H5 bird flu have been detected following a case found earlier this week.
Two months after unveiling a major upgrade to its beef product, Halter says its farmers are on track for major production gains and additional grass growth.
New Zealanders are being urged to be alert following a confirmed positive case of H5 bird flu this week.
With a third of NZ dairy farmers still running outdated refrigerants, the country's largest farm refrigeration company says the opportunity for quick, meaningful emissions gains has never been clearer.
OPINION: Farmers are being put on notice by the Green Party.
As dairy farmers lock in plans for the upcoming mating season, a partnership between Fonterra and Silver Fern Farms has been formed with the aim of making it simpler to create additional value from calves not entering the replacement herd.

OPINION: Central Hawke's Bay farmer Mark Warren recently told the Hawke's Bay Times it's time for a conversation about allowing…
OPINION: A nation that relies as heavily as NZ does on functional global shipping lanes will have to do its…