Longer combing lambs’ wool was especially sought-after.
Lambs’ wool continues to be the star performer, compared to adult crossbred wool, even with the higher volumes coming forward.
A very limited volume of early-season, mid-micron wool also found solid buyer support with indications finer wool growers are in for another strong season, Burridge said.
Crossbred fleece 31 to 35 microns was 2% to 4% dearer on the sale a fortnight earlier with 35-micron and stronger being up by similar rates and crossbred, second-shear was about 2% stronger.
Mid micron wool was up to 10% dearer for the better styles. Crossbred lambs’ wool was 2% to 5% stronger in price with the best results being for longer fleece. The pass-in rate was 8%, which compares well with previous Christchurch auctions.
Sales, all by micron level, price/kg clean: Full wool, good-to-average colour: 28, $11.32, up 42c; 29, $10.52, up 10c; 32, $5.67, up 20c; 33, $4.91, up 33c; 34, $4.65, up 19c; 35, $3.84, up 22c; 36, $3.45, up 20c; 37, $3.22, up 27c; 38, $3.07, up 13c; 39, $3.02, up 8c. Crossbred, second-shear: 33, 3-to-4 inches, $4.71, up 24c; 2-to-3 inches, $3.67, up 25c; 35, 3-to-4 inches, $3.71, up 29c; 2-to-3 inches, $3.05, up 9c; 37, 3-to-4 inches, $3.08, up 11c; 2-to-3 inches, $3, up 10c; 39, 3-to-5 inches, $3.02, up 14c; 3-to-4 inches, $2.95, up 7c; 2-to-3 inches, $2.95, up 1c. Crossbred, first lamb shear: 28, $6.81, up 4c; 29, $6.29, up 5c; 30, $5.60, down 25c; 31, $5.27, up 19c; 32, $5.21, up 37c; 33, $4.85, up 20c.