Agsafe Weekly Rural Report

Finance: The NZ dollar finished the week on a par with the previous and remains weak against the US dollar. Brent Crude has dropped again to $74.72/barrel. The world markets are struggling to understand or anticipate Trumps next move.

Wool: Wool prices remain in the doldrums. Housing Corp will now accept tenders for carpets from woollen carpet manufactures!!.

Beef, Sheep & Venison schedules: Meat schedules are steady. Venison prices are good. Lamb schedules are a concern and you should have some lamb this coming week – it is a great meat when cooked correctly. Beef prices are OK.

Dairy Prices. The g/DT lifted 3.7% with Lactose lifting 17.7%. WMP is up 4.1% to $US4169 while SMP lifted 4.7%. Buttis also up 3.4%. The increase was above expectations and should push the Farm Gate Price nearer the upper end of expectations.

It is National lamb day on 15th February. Entrepreneurs William Davidson and Thomas Brydone organised the first shipment of frozen lamb from Port Chalmers, Otago to London. had been involved in refrigerated shipping experiments, leading to this pioneering journey of around 5,000 carcasses.