AUST. WOOL STILL UP

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33095, 9 December 1972, Page 15

AUST. WOOL STILL UP

Prices high, at five sales (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) MELBOURNE, Dec. 8. The Australian Wool Commission reported today that in spite of the unusually large offering over five selling centres this week, with a wide variety of wool types represented, sustained intense competition throughout the week resulted in almost total clearance and substantially increased prices. Catalogues in Sydney, Adelaide, Launceston, Hobart and Albany (W.A.) totalled 180,000 bales—almost double last week’s total. Wools ranged mostly from prestige superfines to average topmaking Merino.

A new seasonal record price of 2000 c (greasy) per kilo was paid at Launceston. Japan and Eastern European buyers provided the main competition with Western Europe a keen competitor for superfine types. Average prices clean: Merinos 70s, 362 to 351; Merino, 645, 330 c to 321 c; Comeback, 60s, 320 c to 309 c; Crossbred, 58s. 310 c to 305 c; Crossbred, 565, 299 c to 294 c; Crossbred, 50s, 282 c to 276 c. A point of interest was the sale in Adelaide on Tuesday of about 2000 bales interlotted by sample. These lots, formerly from small growers, had been grab-sampled direct from each bale, interlotted on the basis of the samples, tested and sold by sample and certificate. They were welt received by buyers and prices were fully in line with ruling market levels.