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.
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.

A fair question has been raised about how member-funded organisations should conduct themselves when taking a public position on any…
OPINION: It really is getting harder to lampoon government bureaucrats when they do such a good job of it themselves.…