Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
Most types of wool eased this week because of the strengthening NZ dollar and completed shipping requirements, says NZ Wool Services International Ltd’s marketing executive, Paul Steel.
The finer crossbred wools were impacted the most. The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies lifted by 1.39% compared to the last sale on March 19. Of the 9700 bales on offer, 81% sold.
Steel says this week’s South Island prices came more into line with North Island levels in the finer wools as urgent shipments for Asia were completed. The price disparity between centres has now largely dissipated.
Fine crossbred full fleece eased 3- 5% with shorter shears 2-4% cheaper. Good and poor colour coarse crossbred full fleece remained firm with average style 1% easier.
Coarse shears were down 1-3%. First lambs were 1.5-2.5% cheaper. Long coarse oddments were 2% softer with good colour short oddments firm and average/poor styles 1-4% easier.
There was reduced competition, with Asia, Australasia and the Middle East most active, supported by Western Europe, India and the United Kingdom.
The next sale which will be held on Wednesday, April 1, due to the Easter break, comprises about 7800 bales from the North Island.
The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition has removed 33,418 wild goats over the past three years.
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.
Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.

OPINION: Your old mate welcomes the proposed changes to local government but notes it drew responses that ranged from the reasonable…
OPINION: A press release from the oxygen thieves running the hot air symposium on climate change, known as COP30, grabbed your…