Market still firm

Press, 12 September 1986, Page 22

Market still firm

The wool market continued to firm yesterday when 17,000 bales were sold by auction in Christchurch. The falling value of the New Zealand dollar has boosted wool prices, and yesterday the top crossbred full fleece and second shear clips bought more than 500 c a kilogram greasy. This is a new record for crossbred prices. ' Fortunately, fine wool prices improved as well, as the New Zealand and Australian dollar exchange rate has again gone in favour of New Zealand. For ail of last season, fine wool prices were depressed because the kiwi was relatively high against the Australian dollar and buyers switched their attention to the much larger Australian fine wool clip. While showing nothing like the health of good crossbred clip prices, this season finer wools have steadily risen in value since the early August sale in Dunedin. With the seasonal flush of pre-lamb shearing. Corriedale and Halfbred fleece coming on to the market this month, yesterday’s prices bode well for a better selling season for Canterbury, Marlborough and Otago growers than last. The real interest in fine wools from buyers yesterday was selective, however, with 27 micron and 32 and 33 micron lines rising 2.5 per cent compared with the last sale. The greasy market indicator rose 3c to 397 c a kilogram, and 533 c clean, while the greasy adjusted weight average sale price was 396.51 c, and 533.23 c clean. Fourteen bales of fine Merino from J. W. and T. J. Wadsworth (Blenheim) sold at 672 c (72.8), and six bales of medium from the same vendor made 651 c (71.8). M. J. and M. A. Loffhagen (Culverden) received 671 c (70.7) for four bales of medium and Stevenson Brothers (Flaxton) were paid 654 c (76.5) for a single bale of fine. Colenso Farms (Scargill) topped the halfbred wool with 455 c (78.8) for five bales of strong; P. S. Molineux (Awatere Valley) followed with 454 c (71.3) for six bales of extra fine, and G. T. Hobson and Son (Ashburton)

sold six bales of fine hogget for 449 c (75.8). Te Moana Partnership -(Blenheim) sold eight bales of three-quarter bred two tooth for 443 c (79.0) and J. H. and M. L Richards (Hororata) sold nine bales of medium Halfbred for 438 c (79.1) and five bales for 437 c (79.0).

S. W. Crutchley (Geraldine) sold 33 bales of strong halfbred for 437 c (80.2) and 43 bales of medium for 434 c (78.4) L. M. Rutherford (Waiau) sold six bales of strong for 431 c (77.1) and the same price was received by Mason Bros (Blenheim) for 17 bales of strong (77.0). P. S. Northcote (Waiau) sold 17 bales of extra fine for 429 c (74.6), 18 bales of medium for 427 c (76.7), and 37 bales of fine for 416 c (76.2). A. C. S. Richards (Awatere Valley) sold halfbred twotooth wool for 425 c (75.3) for four bales, B. F. Calder (Blenheim) received 424 c (72.4) for six bales of halfbred, N. F. Butterick (Ashburton) sold nine bales of halfbred for 423 c (73.0) and J. S. Rutherford (Waiau) sold seven bales of strong for 424 c (75.4)

S. J. Mackenzie (Wairau Valley) sold nine bales of extra strong Corriedale for 454 c (78.8) as well as 13 bales of strong for 429 c (77.5) and seven bales of fine for 425 c (73.6). S. J. and J. R. Spriggs (Cuiverden) sold 13 bales of extra strong Corriedale fleece for 451 c (78.9) and 28 bales of strong for 443 c (78.0). Waingaro Farm (Parnassus) sold nine bales of extra strong for 448 c (80.3) and five bales of strong for 434 c (78.5), while Leslie Hills Station (Waiau) sold 10 bales of strong for 433 c (76.7), and Hillview Farming Partnership (Kirwee) sold 11 bales of strong two-tooth for 429 c (77.0).

Crediton Farm, Ltd (Rangiora) sold seven bales of medium Corriedale for 444 c (76.9) and a further eight bales for 429 c (72.3). G. W. Taylor (Amberley) received 430 c (75.2) for six bales of strong and 421 c (76.0) for eight bales, while R. W. and S. Loe (Wairau Valley) sold five bales of fine hogget for 424 c (70.6) and E. R. A. Florence and Sons

(Rotherham) sold 10 bales of extra strong for 424 c (74.2). Several lines of crossbred two-tooth exceeded 500 c, including 14 bales from J. R. Stanbury (Little River) at 513 c (89.7), 19 bales from Bullock Hill, Ltd (Rangiora) at 508 c, six bales from R. A. F. Kingscote (Culverden) at 500 c (90.2), and 10 bales from G. L. arid P. F. Ferguson (Darfleld) at 501 c (87.7). Twelve bales of Romney two-tooth from B. F. Morrow, Ltd (Montalto) made 491 c (85.4) and five bales of Romney shorn hogget from W. A. and M. C. Wedderell (Wakefield) made 476 c (84). Romney fleece sales included 10 bales from L. V. McGrath (Oxford) at 493 c, 14 bales from J. R. Gardiner (Culverden) at 489 c (85.2), 20. bales from D. C. Watson (Sheffield) at 497 c (86.5), and 22 bales from A. L. and S. W. Adams (Darfield) at 491 c (85.9). A line of 36 bales of crossbred from D. A. Stone (Hororata) made 498 c (86.6), 19 bales of medium crossbred from J. McCracken (Rangiora) sold at 491 c (85.6), and M. G. Heffernan (Little River) received 495 c (86.8) for five bales. Other good crossbred prices included 491 c (85.4) for 37 bales from B. S. Hunt (Darfield), and 490 c (85.5) for 16 bales from G. J. and M. L. Kermode (Ashburton). Among Perendale sales were 15 bales from N. A. Fraser (Little River) at 495 c (86.4) and eight bales from B. J. Hall (Blenheim) at 494 c (86.1) D. J. Blakely Children (Lincoln) were paid 482 c (83.7) for 17 bales of Perendale two-tooth, and G. K. Faigan (Diamond Harbour) received 480 c (84.2) for five bales. Taipo Farm (Greymouth) was paid 482 c (89.4) for 11 bales of Perendale and 479 c (90.1) for four bales of

Perendale shorn hogget. Wakaepa Farm (Glenroy) sold two lines of 39 bales (83.9) and 24 bales (83.5) at 479 c, and the same price was received by G. V. Maginness (Kaitima Valley) for five bales (83.8). Coopworth wool reached 514 c (89.6) for 18 bales from D. B. Jessep (Ashburton) and 508 c (88.5) for 11 bales from M. G. and M. J. Barker

(Kaikoura). Eleven bales of two-tooth from R. H. B. and Mrs K. Foster (Darfield) made 504 c (87.6), P. and H. Gray (Waiau) were paid 499 c (89.3) for 19 bales, and J. G. Kerr (Ashburton) 498 c (86.3) for 29 bales. Burnt Hill Farm (Oxford) sold 20 bales of twotooth at 488 c (85) and Eskvale station (Amberley) 15 bales at 487 c (84.6).

Good sales of Border Leicester included five bales from Radstone Partnership (Methven) at 484 c (84.2) and four bales from T. J. Ward (Ashburton) at 479 c (83.7). H. Bennett and Sons (Ashburton) received 453 c (78.7) for five bales of English Leicester woolly hogget at 453 c (78.7).

Seventeen bales of medium Borderdale from P. J. and J. A. Stewart (Waiau) made 470 c (81.4), 16 bales from P. N. Buttle (Darfield) sold at 460 c (81.3), four bales of twotooth from Lakewell Stud (Leeston) made 459 c (81.4), and 15 bales from Estate A. R. and M. J. Beaty (Greendale) sold at 457 c (81.1). A. T. Metherall (Rangiora) had a range of good prices for Borderdale up to 456 c (79.4) for 21 bales of medium and S. J. Dawkins (Blenheim) sold five bales of BorderCorriedale at 453 c (80) and O. J. and J. J. Brownlie (Rakaia) received 449 c (78) for 36 bales of medium Borderdale.

Second-shear prices included 501 c (90) for 11 bales of crossbred from W. W. and J. A. Gray (Kaikoura), 500 c (89.1) for nine bales of Perendale from Greenfields United (Greymouth), and 499 c (89.2) for 14 bales of Romney from T. J. Brocherie and Son (Duvauchelle). Other leading second-shear prices were 495 c (89.6) for six bales of Romney from B. R. and M. Hart (Collingwood); 495 c (88.7) for 25 bales of crossbred from J. R. Stanbury (Little River); 492 c (87.4) for 28 bales of crossbred from Eversfield Account (Darfield); and 491 c (85.9) for 27 bales of crossbred from R. A. F. Kingscote (Culverden).

The order of sale was: Dalgety Crown 480 lots, 5309 bales; Pvne, Gould, Guinness 423 lots' 5261 bales; Wrightson- N.M.A. 563 lots, 6423 bales. Total, 1466 lots, 16,993 bales.