The Country 28/11/25: Rachel Shearer talks to Jamie Mackay

The GM of PGG Wrightson Wool on a good 12 months for strong wool.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
While it was once the ugly duckling of the primary
sector stable these days I think someone has kissed a
frog because the wall market is coming right. How did
you like that intro, Rachel Sharer from PGG Rights and Wool.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
That was a perfect intro. We're yet to turn into
the beautiful swan, but we'll get there.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Yeah, we will get there.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Now.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
You and I were having a chat off here about
how lucky we were that we weren't teenagers when social
media was around. Would have been a disaster. But I
was talking about influencers to you, and you're a wool influencer.
But can you believe people actually buy products off the
back of a celebrity who endorses it, who's getting paid
a fortune to endorse it? How dumb are people?

Speaker 2 (00:39):
Well I can't comment on them individually, but if those
influencers are wearing wool, I'd probably be backing them. I've
got to be it.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Well, you are a wool influencer yourself. Are you influencing
the market? Someone is? Because when and you've chucked some
numbers at me here, Rachel, when we go year on year,
we've had some outstanding percentage wise improvements out of wall allbit.
We have to put this in here off a low base,
but people had almost given up on the strong wallmark

(01:06):
and I put it to you now it's worth something.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
It is worth something. And look, as I always say,
we've still got a really long way to go. But
you know, the fact we release our strong will indicator
after each auction, the fact we've had to increase the
grass axis has said a lot. We're up, you know,
up twenty seven percent on South Island standard default type.
So those of your listeners who know, you know the
thirty seven s two d which those in the business know,

(01:32):
you know, that was three seventy clean a year ago
today yesterday under the hammer it went for four seventy threes,
a twenty seven percent increase, which is great. But for
me that the days of growing up in the North
Canterbury farms with those good old corridales. That mid micron
twenty eight full length was four sixty last year and
went under the hammer for eight dollars. The seventy four

(01:53):
percent increase. Now we know there's not a lot of
that still around, but that's really good signs. And then
other interesting part, and I know we've talked about this before, Jamie.
But those oddments, you know, the stuff that farmers just
couldn't be bothered putting in, and I don't blame them,
was a dollar forty eight. You know, it's now a one
hundred and sixty percent increase at three dollars eighty six.

(02:13):
The oddments are as we'd like to say, they're going off.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
So they are going on. What about DAGs? Does anyone
still pay good money for DAGs?

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Well, they pay money for DAGs. We while ago they
weren't paying anything, so you know there is there is
still good money and DAGs. New Zealanders love their gardening
and there's definitely a good, a good market there for DAGs.
And then at the other end the Marino season, we
kind of had the last of that wall offered yesterday
and you know that's up twenty five percent on the
same time last year. So right across all wall types

(02:45):
we have seen positive.

Speaker 1 (02:46):
Now this increased demand is coming largely off the back
of China.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, China is still buying, and they're still buying at
these prices. And we know sometimes they can turn on
and off the tap, but at the moment, the tap
still on. And I think the real classics supply and
demand is rarely coming home to roost, and buyers are
knowing it's not just New Zealand where sheet numbers are declining,

(03:11):
it's globally, so getting their hands the on wall for
the Ford sales is becoming really important. So that market
is holding pretty stable and is continuing to increase. We
saw a bit of a blip mid months, but it's
back holding, which is a good sign because we're heading
into the North Island market now peak season sharing is

(03:34):
well underway, so that that wall start hit the market
mid January or early to mid January, so that's looking
good as well. So he's hoping that it continues to hold.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
And just finally, your new auction system which you introduced
in recent weeks, having basically a New Zealand wilds wide
sale get it right, Christ alternating with Napier. Is it
working well?

Speaker 2 (03:59):
It is working well. There's some pretty spirited bid incoming,
more buyers are in the room. We're trialing it now
for the next couple of sales, will be trialing it
up in the North Island to see how it works
up there, so you know, heading into their peak season
that will also be including South Island walls. But no,
it is definitely it's definitely paying off having all those
buyers in the same room, being able to view and

(04:21):
appraise that wall under one roof. We believe it's making
it making a good difference.

Speaker 1 (04:26):
Wow, long overdue the renaissance of strong wall. Bring it on.
Rachel share out of PGG rights and thanks for your time.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Thank you, Jamie, have good weekend.