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.
Targeted types such as some first lambs fleece and oddments resisted a generally weaker market last week, says New Zealand Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson.
Of the 13,230 bales eventually offered as growers continue to resist selling at these lower levels, 67% sold, which is a better result than the past two auctions.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies was down 0.6% compared to the last sale on April 19 having minimal impact on prices.
Dawson advises that fine crossbred wools eased up to 3%.
Good colour coarse fleece was 1% softer with poorer styles 2 to 3.5% cheaper. Long coarse shears were 1 to 2% easier with the shorter types 2 to 3.5% down.
First lambs were firm to 2% weaker. Second lambs and long oddments, which are generally better processing wools than comparative North Island types were 8 to 12% stronger.
Good style short oddments were firm with the poorer styles 7 to 12% dearer.
Limited competition with China and Western Europe continuing to dominate, supported by India, Middle East and Australasia.
Next sale on May 3 comprises approximately 7500 bales of North Island wools.
Testing confirms H5 bird flu in a single northern giant petrel, found dead on a remote Cape Palliser beach in the Wairarapa, says Dr Mary van Andel, the Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI) Chief Veterinary Officer.
"What's for dinner?" may sound like a simple question, but for many Kiwi parents, answering it has become a job in itself.
Fifty Eight years ago, on the 16th of August 1968, August Claas, the founder of the harvesting company and father of Helmut Claas, personally presented a Claas Senator combine harvester to Scottish farmer John Steven.
New Zealand consumers are paying more for beef mince than ever before, with the average retail price now sitting above $24 per kilogram, according to Rabobank.
State farmer Pamu has delivered its strongest operating result on record.
Four years since it was first detected in New Zealand, researchers and growers now know much more about management of maize pest fall armyworm (FAW).