Rain induced interruptions to supply are plaguing wool producers just as the eastern market indicator (EMI) lifted for the first time in 12 weeks.
Wet sheep and copious road disruptions are slowing the process of getting wool to stores for sale.
And the smaller volumes of wool coming onto the market for this time of the year are set to continue due to the ongoing flooding in wool growing regions.
Wool brokers are under the expectation supply will be inconsistent, and the full effect on the market is yet to be determined.
Last week the Australian wool market lifted 36 cents to close at 1271 cents per kilogram, clean, with just over 38,000 bales on offer nationally. This reduced to 31,000 bales and resulted in a pass in rate of only 4.3 per cent.
Gains were between 30 and 80c across the better Merino fleece lines at all three selling centres.
In the west, the Western Market Indicator (WMI) gained 44c to end the week at 1407c/kg, clean.
Nutrien Ag Solutions South East wool broker David Hart said the logistical headache of getting the wool to store is not new, but it is heightening.
"Now it's not just the problem of getting the sheep shorn, it is getting the wool off-farm," Mr Hart said.
"The roads are an absolute mess. In the south there are rising creeks and rivers that can't be crossed, and in the central west there are roads that are becoming impassable, and the more they are used, the worse they are getting.
"There is not much point grading them because two inches of rain two days later and they are back to where they were or if not worse.
"It will take a lot of time for them to dry out."
Anecdotal reports voice shearers and contractors are being flexible, with the option of having multiple sheds operating at once.
"To the credit of shearers, they will move to wherever there are dry sheep and shear what they can before faced with wet weather, then they'll move to the next shed with dry sheep before returning to finish another. They are doing what they can," Mr Hart said.
"It has been very haphazard. But wet sheep are wet sheep, it doesn't matter how many shearers are around."
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According to Mr Hart, another rise is expected this week with the currency falling substantially in the favour of the buyers of the exports, representing excellent value.
Analysts attributed currency for playing a pivotal role in the lift last week, with a falling dollar falling sharply to US62.50c at the close of trade.
The drop in the AUD was so large that when viewed in US dollar terms the EMI fell 13c for the series to US794c/kg - its lowest point since October 2020.
It was also reported to be the increased activity amongst the usual list of buyers that lifted prices, not a case of new buyers.
"It is often the buying patterns of China, they tend to watch each others buying activities and if one of the larger operators makes a major move, then the others will tend to follow," Mr Hart said.
It has been very haphazard. But wet sheep are wet sheep, it doesn't matter how many shearers are around
- David Hart
"It takes on a momentum of its own."
With the interruption on supply there is a modest 37,00 bales rostered for sale this week.
But Mr Hart said if it's as good a week as anticipated, there is opportunity for a rise in the offering.
"We might see a little late wool wool come onto next week's market, which tends to happen," he said.
"But more delays in supply are anticipated.
"Growers and carriers are using any window of opportunity that opens slightly to get wool out."
However, he said supply disruptions caused by wet weather was often evened out by the fact wool sales are conducted every week, tending to smooth out any supply peaks and troughs.
"If you miss this week's sale, it is not usually a major problem," he said.
"Nevertheless it does create some weeks where there is not a lot of wool around, and this is probably one of those weeks that the offering would have been larger if the weather was fine."
