Positive tone to first South Island wool sale of year

The first South Island wool sale of the year opened on a more positive note in Christchurch last week.

Buyers were keen to fill orders and new season's lambs wool was especially sought-after as only limited volumes had come forward, PGG Wrightson Wool's South Island sales team said.

Despite the depressed price levels, most wool growers had been prepared to meet the market as 93 per cent of wool on offer was cleared.

Crossbred fleece (30 to 33 micron) was 3 per cent to 5 per cent dearer and 34 micron and stronger lifted up to 2 per cent.

Mid micron (25 to 30 micron) wools were 1per cent to 3 per cent dearer on very limited volumes.

Crossbred lambs' wool was 3 per cent to 5 per cent up, the finer micro styles most affected.

A range of prices:

K A Tisdall (Outram), 16 bales crossbred hogget AA, 32.7 micron, 79.4 per cent yield, 351 greasy, 442 clean; Ithiel Ltd (Alexandra), one bale merino 4A, 14.7 micron, 69.4 per cent yield, 1950 greasy, 2810 clean.