There were 7700 bales on offer at the South Island auction, of which 83 per cent sold. The offering was mainly coarse crossbred fleece and second-shear body wools. Merino and mid-micron wools made up most of the passed-in bales.
Compared with the South Island sale on August 21, mid-micron fleece 24 and 24.5 micron were 4 per cent cheaper, 25 to 26.5 micron 1 per cent dearer, 27 to 28 micron were firm and 28.5 to 30.5 micron declined 2 to 3 per cent. Fine crossbred fleece and early-shorn and second-shear 33 to 35 micron were 1 to 2.5 per cent dearer, coarse crossbred fleece 36 and 37 micron 2 per cent dearer and 38 micron 1 per cent dearer. Combings and carding oddments were firm.
KING BEEF MAN
Young King country farmer James Bryan is this year's Beef+Lamb ambassador at the Five Nations Beef Alliance conference and young leaders programme in the United States.
He beat 13 other applicants to win the scholarship, now in its fourth year.
It covers the cost of conference attendance and travel and is offered each year to New Zealanders aged 22 to 32 who work in the beef industry.
This year's conference and young leaders programme take place in Corpus Christi and Austin, Texas from October 4 to 11.
FRUIT LOGISTICA
New Zealand has a high profile presence at the sixth Asia Fruit Logistica, which started yesterday in Hong Kong and ends tomorrow.
The New Zealand pavilion, co-ordinated by HortNZ, features 13 companies.
There are 460 exhibitors from 38 countries attending Asia Fruit Logistica this year.
It's the largest event of its kind held in the Asian market and attracts 7000 industry professionals.
FUNGAL RESEARCH
Scientists hope to open up new opportunities for the forestry industry following research into the cultivation and commercialisation of two edible fungi crops: saffron milk-cap (Lactarius deliciosus) and bianchetto truffle (Tuber borchii).
Plant & Food Research's Alexis Guerin and Associate Professor Wang Yun have been investigating the high-value delicacies on a farm in Lincoln with successful and tasty results.
"These crops could be the next innovative gourmet export food product for New Zealand," Guerin says.
"Elsewhere in the world they are highly regarded for their potential health benefits and even support a dedicated truffle-tourism industry".
In New Zealand, truffles retail for $3000 a kilogram.
Although perigord black truffles have been grown commercially in Europe since the early 1800s, it was not until the 1970s that their cultivation methods were improved.
Similarly, the cultivation of most other edible mycorrhizal mushrooms is still very much in its infancy.
The pair's research into saffron milk-cap mushrooms provides another commercial opportunity, with 85kg harvested earlier this year.
The high yield was in part attributable to irrigation, warm temperatures and regular rainfall.
