Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The limited offering of 4200 bales from the South Island on offer this week saw a 58% clearance and a generally firmer market, New Zealand Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson reports.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies increased by 0.42%.
Dawson advises a small selection of Mid Micron wools followed other market trends and eased between 4 to 6%.
Fine crossbred fleece and shears were firm to sellers favour.
Coarse crossbred fleece were firm to 1.5% dearer. Coarse early shorn were firm with longer shears firm to 1.5% stronger and shorter shears firm to 3% dearer.
First lambs and long crossbred oddments remained firm with short oddments generally in buyers' favour.
There was limited activity with many growers reluctant to sell at current levels. Main competition came from China, India and Western Europe, supported by Middle East and Australasia.
The next sale on August 16 comprises about 7500 bales from the North Island and 6300 bales from the South Island.
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.
Allan Freeth, chief executive of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has announced he is resigning.

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