Sheep farmers around the country wait anxiously as the wool industry faces a potential overhaul.
The new Wool Partners Co-operative, which announced last year they were aiming for half the country’s strong wool clip, has already extended the deadline for subscriptions three times without success.
The co-op, though, says Wednesday is the final cut off date for farmers keen on a “Fonterra style” wool venture, and the company’s board remains confident of getting the numbers they need.
WPC Director Mark Shadbolt, who farms in Invercargill, says just a day out from the deadline, people can still commit their wool clip through fax.
"Because we’ve changed the way people can subscribe in terms of dollars, they can fax in their subscription forms and then have the proceeds deducted from their wool income going out to the 31st of may."
Mr Shadbolt and the other directors won’t release official figures until tomorrow, but say since the last update they’ve been growing steadily.
"We know but we aren’t releasing it until we get closer to Wednesday night - but we're above 35 million."
The Wool exporters Council has vocally opposed the proposal though, saying high global wool price is proof the industry doesn’t need another co-op to sustain it.
Federated Farmers Wool spokesperson Bruce Wills says he is personally backing the scheme, as it has the potential to unify Kiwi growers.
"It will be a strech to get there so it will be touch and go, I know Jeff Grant was hopeful of a rush in the last couple of days but I don’t know. It will be a fine line situation."
For the latest on the co-op’s deadline head here.
