Elders aims to sell most of its NSW clients’ wool in its state-of-the-art Ravenhall wool handling facility.

AGRIBUSINESS Elders has decided it will auction all but its New South Wales fine wool clients’ wool in Melbourne rather than join other brokers in committing to the new northern selling centre at Goulburn.

The decision follows Elders deciding earlier this year to discontinue selling Western Australian clients’ wool in WA from July next year.

With the planned closure of the Yennora Selling Centre this year, the first northern wool sales are scheduled in Australian Wool Handlers’ new Goulburn facility in January 2027.

Elders’ northern region wool manager Bruce McLeish said following AWH’s planned closure of the Yennora Selling Centre at the end of the year, Elders has reviewed its future selling arrangements for NSW wool.

“We have chosen Melbourne’s Wool Selling Centre because it delivers greater market depth and certainty for growers.

“This decision has been made in the best interests of clients and to support the strongest possible selling outcomes and returns for their wool,” he said.

“We remain deeply committed to our NSW clients and will continue to support them locally through our strong network of 14 district wool managers and six wool receival depots across the state.

“While our selling arrangements are changing, our focus on providing trusted, local service to NSW wool growers remains unchanged,” Mr McLeish said.

“Melbourne is also home to our state-of-the-art Elders Wool centre, a $25 million investment that, since launch, has revolutionised wool handling through automation, creating a faster, more efficient service for our clients.

“Elders’ NSW clients’ wool has been handled in Melbourne since the Elders Wool facility launched in 2024,” he said.

“We have also entered into a commercial arrangement to maintain a selling presence in Goulburn for the fine wool catalogue, which our clients can choose to access through their district wool manager if they wish.”

Elders would not disclose who it is proposing to sell its NSW clients’ superfine clips in Goulburn due to commercial sensitivities.

Yennora Wool Brokers spokesman Marty Moses said he believed northern wool producers should sell their wool through the northern centre.

“There has proven to be no disadvantage in the market (to sell in NSW), and if anything on the better styles, premiums.”

He said Nutrien, AWN and YWB brokers ell more wool than anyone else in the north.

“And we’re not going anywhere, we’re keeping it in the north.”