Wool pellets to boost gardens
With wool prices steadily declining and shearing costs on the rise, a Waikato couple began looking for a solution for wool from their 80ha farm.
New Zealand Wool Services International's chief executive John Dawson says a slightly easier NZ dollar and limited wool volumes combined with steadier enquiry, saw most categories well supported.
Of the 5,700 bales on offer, 92% sold.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies compared to last sale weakened 0.94%, helping underpin local prices.
Dawson advises that compared to the sale on 5th November, Merino Fleece were generally firm to 2% dearer. Mid Micron Fleece were firm to 3% dearer.
Compared to the 12 November sale, Fine Crossbred Fleece were 1 to 4% dearer, longer shears firm to 4% dearer and shorter types firm to 2.5% easier.
Coarse Crossbred Full Fleece were up to 1.5% dearer.
Long Coarse Shears and very short shears eased 1.5% with 3 to 4 and 2 to 4 inch shears firm to 1.5% firmer.
Oddments were 3 to 6% dearer.
Good competition with China principals, supported by Western Europe and Australasia with limited interest from elsewhere.
Next sale on 26November comprises approximately 5,900 bales from the North Island.
A leading farm consultant says it's likely the dairy season in the Waikato will come to a premature end because of the drought.
Dairy farming siblings Manoj Kumar and Sumit Kamboj's message to other immigrants is simple - work hard and you will be rewarded.
Last season was a mixed bag for Waikato contractors, with early planted forage maize, planted on the dry soils around Cambridge, doing badly after germination and failing to meet potential, says Jeremy Rothery, Jackson Contracting.
A marked turnaround in the financial performance of Canterbury milk company Synlait has halted a threatening exodus of farmer suppliers.
Unnecessary box ticking and red tape are set to go under the Government's new RMA reforms - much to the delight of farmers.
An Auckland man who illegally killed and sold pigs and a chicken has been fined $8,000.