The wool sale held on 17 September saw prices edge down with an unimpressive clearance rate of 64% on a higher offer. The British Wool index fell 1.7% sale-on-sale to £1.40 a kg clean. The average price for new season wool was at £1.398 a kg clean, while for new season greasy wool the price was £0.973 a kg.
The total volume offered was 1.697 million kg, of which 1.085 million kg were sold, posting a clearance rate of 64% as against 77.4% on 3 September. The clearance rates by wool type were 43% for fine wool, 60% for medium wool, 81% for crossbred wool, 59% for hill wool, and 62% for mountain wool.
About 60 tonnes of 2018 season wool still remained unsold.
Price movements for key wool types were as follows: Fine Hogs No1 were 2% cheaper; Medium Hogs No1 were 2% cheaper; and No2 lots were generally 2% cheaper with the exception of poorer colour lots which were 5% cheaper. Medium Ewes No1 were 2% cheaper; Ewes No2 were 1% cheaper; and Discoloured Ewes were generally 2% cheaper except for a selection of poor colour lots which were up to 7.5% cheaper. Mules Hogs wherever sold were fully firm, while Mules Ewes No1 were in buyers’ favour; and No2 were firm or in buyers’ favour. Cott grades were also in buyers’ favour or 2% cheaper.
Cheviots were in buyers’ favour to 1% cheaper; Radnors were fully firm where sold; Welsh No2 were 2% cheaper, while Lt grey were in buyers’ favour. Blackface No2 and Cotts were up to 3% dearer, while Lt grey were 3% dearer.
