Top wool advocate bales out
The conversion of productive farmland into trees has pretty much annihilated the wool industry.
The high volume of short second shears eased slightly at the latest NZ Wool Services International's auction.
The high volume of short second shears eased slightly at the latest NZ Wool Services International's auction compared to the last North Island auction on May 12, says chief executive John Dawson.
Apart from that there were minimal changes.Of the 8,600 bales on offer 88% sold. Currency had minimal impact with the weighted indicator for the main trading currencies down only 0.47% week on week.
Dawson says the listed volumes of fine crossbred longer shears were 1 to 2% dearer with the shorter types firm to 2% easier.
Coarse crossbred fleece were firm to 2.5% dearer. Longer coarse shears were firm to 2% firmer with the high volumes of short shears on offer 1 to 2% easier.
Fine first lambs were firm to 3% dearer with coarse lambs 3 to 4% cheaper. Oddments were firm to 5% easier.
There are now quite disparate price levels between the limited type selection and styles in the North Island and the more varied offering from the South Island making direct comparisons difficult.
There was good competition with Australasia, Western Europe and United Kingdom principal, supported by Middle East, India and China.
The next sale on June 2 comprises about 6,500 bales from the South Island.
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Former Agriculture Minister and Otaki farmer Nathan Guy has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy (SATE).
Alliance Group has commissioned a new heat pump system at its Mataura processing plant in Southland.
Fonterra has slashed another 50c off its milk price forecast as global milk flows shows no sign of easing.
Meat processors are hopeful that the additional 15% tariff on lamb exports to the US will also come off.