Strong wool market shows signs of recovery after prolonged slump
The strong wool market has improved in the past six months, despite drops in production over recent years.
OPINION: This old mutt still struggles to understand the absolute disaster that strong wool has become over the past 30 years or so.
He's been around a while now, back when the old Wool Board existed, and seen the many machinations that entity evolved into until it was finally disbanded.
Nothing better illustrates the ongoing, slow death of this once magnificent industry than current prices.
A mate of the Hound's recently received a gross valuation for 38 bales of his crossbred fleece - at an average weight of 181kg each - of just over $6,200, which still had handling fees and other costs to be charged of around 18 cents/kg or around $1,200.
This means he will net around $5,000.
However, the problem is it cost him $16,000 to shear the sheep!
No wonder farmers are turning to self-shedding sheep as we are witnessing the death of crossbred wool sheep farming in this country!
The sale of Fonterra’s global consumer and related businesses is expected to be completed within two months.
Fonterra is boosting its butter production capacity to meet growing demand.
For the most part, dairy farmers in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tairawhiti and the Manawatu appear to have not been too badly affected by recent storms across the upper North Island.
South Island dairy production is up on last year despite an unusually wet, dull and stormy summer, says DairyNZ lower South Island regional manager Jared Stockman.
Following a side-by-side rolling into a gully, Safer Farms has issued a new Safety Alert.
Coming in at a year-end total at 3088 units, a rise of around 10% over the 2806 total for 2024, the signs are that the New Zealand farm machinery industry is turning the corner after a difficult couple of years.

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