Jamie Mackay from The Country recently talked about the wool market with Grant Edwards, General Manager of PGG Wrightson Wool.

The big question: is the wool market on the improve? Grant assured Jamie they're still seeing improvement - but it would be good to see a lot more.

China is increasing their buying which is a good sign. Six to eight months ago, on a monthly basis, they were buying low 20 percent. February figures show them at 34. The PGG team are still seeing a marked difference between best types of wool and the poorer styles driven by demand and also supply.

They're seeing a lot more yellowing wools. On an achieved greasy price, good type to best is around 210 to 250.  Average styles are 'round 185 to 200. Poorer styles with more colour are 150 to 180.  

Jamie highlighted the greasy wool price as this is before the wool has been scoured. This is a big issue as one of the biggest scours in the country is in Napier and had been taken out by Gabrielle.

Word is that getting wool scoured in the North Island is now taking three months. This is creating issues 'round wool storage before it can be scoured.

Grant agreed, saying that about 92 percent of New Zealand's wool gets exported and about 80 percent of that gets washed before it goes. Grant couldn't give any indication as to when the Napier scour will be operational again.

The shame is that almost 30,000 bales of wool were in storage there and will now be water damaged and have to be destroyed. The real challenge for the supply chain will be to fill that gap.