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 12,500 BALES of North Island wool on offer this week generally lifted to come into line with South Island levels. There was a 93% clearance rate, says New Zealand Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson, says.
Compared to the last sale on December 19 the currency indicator firmed by 0.45% having minimal impact on the market.
Dawson advises the first sale after the Christmas break was well supported assisted by the cancellation of the rostered South Island sale and limited anticipated volumes available next week.
Fine crossbred fleece and shears of good and poor colour were firm to 1% dearer with average styles lifting 5%. Coarse crossbred fleece of good and poor colour were up 2 to 3% with average styles 5% stronger.
Coarse shears were generally 1 to 2% firmer except average style 3 to 5 inches and better style 3 to 4 inches 5 to 7% dearer. Short first lambs fleece remained firm. Long oddments were 1% firmer with short oddments firm to 4% easier.
There was limited competition with China and Australasia dominating, supported by Western Europe, Middle East and India.
The next sale on January 16 comprises about 10,300 bales from the North Island and 7600 bales from the South Island.
New Zealand dairy farmers are set to be the first in the world to receive access to a new digital physical milk pricing tool that enables them to fix the price for their physical milk.
State farmer Pāmu is opening its farm gates this summer in an effort to give the rural sector the opportunity to see how large-scale, multi-system farming is delivering productivity and profitability across New Zealand.
A five-year study has found that the cost of reducing emissions without technology may be significant and unsustainable for Northland dairy farmers.
DairyNZ says Waikato farmers need certainty on Plan Change 1, but they say that certainty must be matched with practical, workable rules and a clear transition that doesn't get ahead of the new resource management system currently under review.
While the Government has moved quickly to make commercial hauliers' lot easier during the current fuel crisis, they appear to be stuck in the creep box when it comes to the agricultural industry.
Waikato farmers have been told that the Government’s new planning system legislation and the region’s Plan Change 1 (PC1) “won’t mesh together very well”.

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