Auckland Wool Down

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32116, 11 October 1969, Page 46

Auckland Wool Down

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 10. The main Auckland wool - selling season opened today with prices averaging at least 10 per cent below those of last year. But trade spokesmen agreed that the level was higher than expected. , Compared with the Christchurch sale on Wednesday, some wools were on a par or slightly firmer. Finer wools, however, were more erratic, particularly when 'the length and quality were uneven. The average price was estimated at about 264 c per.lb, compared with 29.9 c a; year ago. Farmers will thus receive l $lO a bale less.

The August sale, with different types of wool, averaged 29.93 c per lb. The bidding was extremely keen for selected lines and the competition covered most, types. Buyers representing the Continent were the principal operators, with support coming from Eastern Europe and Japan. The United States concentrated on the offering of second-shear wool. The Wool Commission offered 9857 bales of greasy wool, mainly second shear, lambs’ wool and binned lots, all showing some colour deterioration as a result of storage, but it opened up reasonably well. The prices of the commission wool were generally in line. with those for the new season’s clip. ’A comparison with prices for second-shear wool a year ago shows a drop of about life per lb, in some cases, the difference was greater. The total offering of greasy wool ’ was 20,962 bales, the

growers’ proportion being 11,105 bales. It was mainly hogget wool, with smaller quantities of ewe fleece, second shear and crutchings. The commission also pffered 1558 bales of scoured Wool which had been damaged by floods in Wellington a year ago. The first offering of Perendale Cross wool from the Te Paki block of the Lands and Survey Department received encouraging support. The extra fine hogget wool made one of the best prices of the day at 39jc per lb. The fine wool made 37Jc, the medium B2ic and the strong 29c. Extra-fine hogget wool brought 36j|c and the prices ranged dotvn to 24|c. The medium grades reached 29}c. There were some passings, but many of the lots were (subsequently sold privately.