Beneath this stability, however, crossbred and carding types posted solid gains of 5 to 20 Australian cents (ac), while Fremantle added 15ac/clean kg to its mostly Merino offering during its single-day auction. In contrast, Eastern centres saw Merino fleece prices soften by 5 to 10ac, driven by discounts on lower-quality lots, although top-spec fleece held firm, the Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) said in its commentary for week 52 of the current wool marketing season.
Significant discounts also emerged for drought-impacted wool with low yields. Lots yielding below 60 per cent saw price cuts of 40 to 50ac below similar microns and vegetable matter content, as offshore topmakers absorbed these lots amid reduced trader competition.
China’s topmakers dominated buying, with the leading two securing one-third of Merino fleece sold, while Australia’s largest exporter claimed around 15 per cent of the total weekly offering, the AWI commentary added.
Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified clips continued to lead the market, fetching up to 150ac more than conventional wool, particularly in the 19 to 20.5 micron range.
The new selling season begins next week with approximately 30,000 bales on offer. Auctions will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in the East and Tuesday only in Fremantle.
ALCHEMPro News Desk (KD)
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