Prices mostly improve at Christchurch wool sale

Prices strengthened across most micron categories while poorer colour fleece, which had been struggling in recent weeks, met with good competition at the wool sale in Christchurch last week.

With lamb's wool beginning to come forward, good competition for types under 31 micron was a feature of the sale, Roger Fuller, of Elders Primary Wool, said.

Quantities coming forward for sale were less than rostered which was putting upward pressure on prices, he said.

A nominal offering of mid-micron fleece was firm to 2% easier. Fine crossbred fleece and longer shears ranged from firm to 4% softer with shorter types 3% to 6% stronger. Coarse crossbred fleece was generally firm to slightly easier with North Island poorer styles easing the most. Longer coarse shears were firm to 2% down with shorter types firm to 3% dearer.

There was limited competition with China, India and Australasia principals, supported by Western Europe, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

A range of prices. -Grant Enterprises (Otago), 35 bales crossbred AA, 37.4 micron, 74.6% yield, 304 greasy, 407 clean; S. Stevenson (Otago), 40 bales crossbred AA, 38.2 micron, 76.2% yield, 293 greasy, 384 clean; J. Ironside (Palmerston), 29 bales Corriedale lambs, 26.2 micron, 70.9% yield, 489 greasy, 690 clean; Mt Aitken (South Canterbury), nine bales Corriedale lambs, 27.5 micron, 73% yield, 431 greasy, 590 clean; Haka Station (Haka Valley), 15 bales Perendale lambs, 28.6 micron, 79.4% yield, 427 greasy, 538 clean; Ottrey Farms (Central Otago), 18 bales crossbred lambs, 29.5 micron, 78.1% yield, 418 greasy, 535 clean.