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 7800 bales of North Island wool on offer this week saw a 92% clearance with a firm market for the finer crossbred wools and lower levels for the coarser sector, NZ Wool Services International Ltd's marketing executive Paul Steel says.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies was 1.63% stronger than the last sale on December 6 which accounted for the lower levels, however in foreign currency terms the market was generally very firm.
Continued demand for quick shipment from the Chinese market kept the finer types under steady pressure, with the seasonally higher volumes of coarser types due on the market and stronger currency combining to impact on this sector.
Steel advises fine crossbred fleece and longer shears were firm with shorter types 1% to 2% easier. Full length coarse crossbred fleece was firm to 1.5% softer.
Coarse Shears were generally 1 to 2.5% cheaper with the shorter end affected the most.
Long oddments came under solid demand, lifting up to 4%. The shorter types ranged from 1.5 to 4% cheaper.
China was the principal, supported by India, Western Europe, United Kingdom and Australasia.
The next sale on Wednesday, December 19 comprises about 8200 bales from the North Island and 9800 bales from the South Island.
Potatoes New Zealand has congratulated Peter Reynolds of TA Reynolds Ltd in Pukekohe on being awarded the Horticulture New Zealand Bledisloe Cup, recognising a lifetime of service and contribution to New Zealand horticulture.
Signing up to a benchmarking tool is not about competition, but about improving collectively, says Ximena Puig and Alvaro Luzardo who are 50-50 sharemilkers at a 164-hectare (effective) dairy farm in Eketāhuna in the Lower North Island.
A leading British farming politician says he's impressed with the positive attitude of New Zealand farmers that he met during his recent trip here.
OPINION: With 10,500 dairy farms, New Zealand continues to punch above its weight around the world.
The Southern Dairy Hub (SDH), which runs a demonstration farm for South Island farmers, has a new general manager.
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).

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