Official report, prices

Press, 2 November 1985, Page 7

Official report, prices

All fleece prices fell by up to 7.5 per cent at yesterday’s combined Christchurch and Timaru wool sale, as the Wool Board lowered its intervention levels. The official report of the sale, compiled by the Wool Board, the Christchurch Wool-' brokers’ Association and the Council of Wool Exporters, said that the board bid on 71.8 per cent, or 10,463 bales, and had 40.3 per cent, or 5867 bales sold or passed to it. Competition was more widespread than at recent sales and the bidding tone was good.

N.Z. Wools was the principal buyer, supported well by New Zealand mills, the Far East and the Continent. Compared with the Christchurch sale on October 18, Merino fleece was down as much as 7.5 per cent, extra fine Halfbred, 25,26 micron, was down 7.5 per cent; fine Halfbred 27 micron, down 7 per cent; medium, 28,29 micron, down as much as 7 per cent; strong, 30,31 micron, down 5 to 7.5 per cent; extra strong, 31,32 micron, down 6 per cent; skirtings down 7.5

per cent; oddments, down 6 per cent. Compared with the last Wellington sale, on October 24, all crossbred fleece lines were down 5 per cent, crossbred bellies were nominally in buyers’ favour, and oddments down 4 per cent. The Timaru offering was of 4817 bales, including a good proportion of Merino fleece. The Christchurch offering was of 9910 bales, including some top quality Merino fleece from Canterbury and Marlborough high country. The market indicator was 458 c clean and 341 c greasy. The following is the official range of clean auction prices issued by the Christchurch Woolbrokers’ Association in conjunction with the board: Merino, 18 micron: Good to super 1432 to 1466, good 1202 to 1246. Merino, 19 micron: Good to super 1030 to 1036, good 994 to 1029. To page 29