Low orders, strong dollar soften wool market
The strong dollar, restricted off-shore interest and high volumes of one wool category on offer this week saw local prices ease.
Wool markets remain steady with the latest sale seeing increases of 1 to 2% overall, says NZWSI general manager, John Dawson.
The sale of 6,617 bales was a good result, he says, with an offering of 52% Coarse Crossbred Early Shorn and Second Shear types.
There was good demand for shorter Second Shear types 2 to 3 inch 32 to 35 micron as buyers bid to cover Chinese orders.
The trade-weighted indicator was little changed from the last wool sale on 16th July.
Compared to the South Island sale on 16th July, Fine Crossbred Early Shorn and Second Shear types 3/5 and 3/4 inch were 1% dearer.
A limited offering of Coarse Crossbred Fleece wools were up 1%. Coarse Crossbred Early Shorn and Second Shear 37 to 39 micron 3/5 to 2/4 inch were 1% dearer, while 2/3 inch were firm.
A nominal offering of Crossbred Combing Oddments were in Sellers Favour, while good colour Clothing Oddments increased by 2% with poorer colour remaining firm.
Competition was widespread with China dominating.
Next sale on 30th July comprises approximately 8,000 bales from the South Island.
Minister of Conservation Hon Tama Potaka has appointed Susan O'Regan as Chair of the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust (QEII) for a three-year term.
Red meat farmers are welcoming Labour’s plan to review the Emissions Trading Scheme and not to campaign on pricing agricultural emissions.
Where any worker in the kiwifruit industry is mistreated, we expect the authorities to take action.
Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers arable chair, Bevan Lill, said Beef + Lamb NZ data indicated that for the last six years, the average arable return on investment was about 0.8% while inflation ran about 4% - so the average arable farm was going backwards at about 3% a year.
Seed and grain companies share the concerns of arable farmers about the viability of their sector, says Seed and Grain New Zealand chief executive Dr Sarah Clark.
The New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) says unnecessary changes to New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) will seriously erode investor confidence and result in significant reductions in forest planting rates.

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