WOOL prices received a much needed lift last week with the Eastern Market Indicator rising 16 cents to 905c/kg clean.
And unlike the previous week prices rose in all the major currencies.
Most of the gains were attributed to the tight supplies of greasy wool and a rush by exporters to meet June 30 shipping deadlines.
According to exporter and processor Elders Wool International three weeks of auctions next month was another factor in securing supplies.
Last week in a limited two-centre supply of only 26,680 bales, only 4.2 per cent were passed in.
One producer who was pleased with the lift was Bendigo builder Luigi Zoanetti, who runs 2500 Merino wethers at Mia Mia near Heathcote.
This time last year Mr Zoanetti knocked back an auction bid of 650c/kg greasy for two lines of 20.2-micron and 20.6-micron wool.
He re-offered them last week realising that with his May 2010 clip already in the shed, he would have to sell last year's wool despite a pre-sale valuation of just 605c/kg.
He was pleasantly surprised as the middle micron wools, 20-21 micron, were particularly strong.
Mr Zoanetti's 20.2-micron lot, with a yield of 68.7 per cent and a staple strength of 26N/kt, realised 653c/kg while the slightly higher-yielding 20.6-micron line sold for 665c/kg.
