South Island wool sale: Crossbred wool prices rise most in five years

A much welcome lift following poor prices recently; pictured, sheep near Wanaka, Central Otago. Photo / Supplied

A much improved tone to the market resulted in the single biggest lift in percentage terms for most styles of crossbred wool in five years at yesterday's South Island wool sale in Christchurch.

PGG Wrightson Wool's South Island sales team described the lift as "welcome relief" for strong wool growers, who have been battling with poor prices.

With the bulk of the less stylish summer shorn wools now sold, the better quality new season's wool starting to come forward had resulted in new business being written, mainly from Asia.

With stronger bidding, that meant almost a full clearance of the 8400 bales on offer and passings were the lowest for some time.

Roger Fuller, of CP Wool, said a strong market in Australia resuming after the Easter break was reflected in New Zealand prices for second-shear types and merino oddments.

A range of prices:

Linlithgow Ltd (Otago), 29 bales Romney 2-tooth, 38.3 micron, 80.6% yield, 275 greasy, 341 clean; Verterburn Farming Ltd (Otago), 30 bales Perendale, 36.4 micron, 82.4% yield, 311 greasy, 377 clean; Thomson Partnership (Southland), 30 bales crossbred lambs, 31.7 micron, 80.6% yield, 417 greasy, 517 clean, 26 bales crossbred lambs, 31.4 micron, 81.9% yield, 408 greasy, 498 clean; A and L Winter (Southland), five bales crossbred lambs, 32.4 micron, 82.2% yield, 446 greasy, 542 clean; Te Houka Ltd (Otago), 15 bales crossbred lambs, 30.7 micron, 77.8% yield, 421 greasy, 541 clean; Fernvale Farms (Southland), 11 bales crossbred lambs, 30.2 micron, 79.1% yield, 458 greasy, 579 clean; S M Clouston (Southland), five bales crossbred lambs, 32.4 micron, 82.2% yield, 446 greasy, 542 clean; Manapouri Downs Ltd (Southland), 32 bales Perendale second-shear, 38.6 micron, 82.4% yield, 266 greasy, 323 clean; Erindale Farms (Otago), 48 bales crossbred second-shear, 39.1 micron, 81.1% yield, 264 greasy, 325 clean; A W Homer (Otago), eight bales crossbred second-shear, 35.8 micron, 79.6% yield, 272 greasy, 342 clean, nine bales crossbred second-shear, 35.6 micron, 78.2% yield, 276 greasy, 353 clean; J Tweed (Otago), 16 bales crossbred second-shear, 37.8 micron, 81.5% yield, 261 greasy, 320 clean; L G Cook (Otago), 27 bales crossbred early-shorn, 37.6 micron, 81% yield, 263 greasy, 325 clean; Parkside Quarries Ltd (Oamaru), 23 bales crossbred AA, 37.6 micron, 81.5% yield, 269 greasy, 330 clean; M J and N G Craig (Oamaru), five bales Perendale AA, 34.1 micron, 72.6% yield, 356 greasy, 490 clean; G R Dickie (Lawrence), 24 bales crossbred second-shear AA, 36.4 micron, 81.3% yield, 268 greasy, 330 clean.