Wool What Will You Do With It?

Nithsdale

Member
Livestock Farmer
I was given a price from the Irish buyers this year and it was considerably less than the Wool Board.

Because prices have dropped since last year.

It works the other way, too. If wool prices take a jump up in price one year, the Irish will look like they are paying much better than the wool board.

Some folks just look at the wool price like a spot price when they want their crop away, without looking at the bigger picture
 

jackstor

Member
Location
Carlisle
I think they have explained the system loads of times and why they can't pay on collection.

I was given a price from the Irish buyers this year and it was considerably less than the Wool Board.

So unless you are desperate for the money, waiting a year pays dividends. Once you are in the system you don't realise you are a year behind.

What price are you going to get for your wool off the wool board?
 

jackstor

Member
Location
Carlisle
The Wool Board pay well for Romney wool and as we are deemed to be a larger producer, we also get a volume bonus on top.

The price you were offered by the Irish might look good when you get your woolboard money this time next year!!
The prospects do not look very good for wool for the next year or 2, but who knows
 

Wooly

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Romney Marsh
The price you were offered by the Irish might look good when you get your woolboard money this time next year!!
The prospects do not look very good for wool for the next year or 2, but who knows

Not sure you are correct on that front. Australia wool price is up, UK is holding well.
http://www.britishwool.org.uk/sales.php


We are paid over a pound for Romney wool plus a 17p bonus, against the Irish offering only around two thirds that.
 

Frank-the-Wool

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
Wool as I have said before is a very volatile commodity so having a system where it is sold over a year does help to even out the peaks and troughs. We had a real problem with last years clip in that the colour was very poor due to wet conditions, this year is definitely better.
Prices for mid micron (carpet type wools) are very low at the moment, China has been out of the market for a while and world demand has been low. New Zealand has struggled more than us and there is a big stock pile of wool on farms there as I am sure one of our Kiwi friends will tell us.
However there is an unusual anomaly at the moment which makes me think that a low wool price is temporary, fine wool (sub 30 micron) are at an all time high price.

Normally the finer end of our wool which is below 35 micron and suitable for combing increases in value when fine wool gets expensive, we are just beginning to see this happen. This is mostly Romney and Cheviot types. Once this starts to occur it drags up the price of all wool.

Normally fine wool is 6 x the price of cotton and cotton is very expensive at the moment so the outlook for wool is surprisingly good, only word of caution is the pound to dollar rate which can have a dampening effect.
 

jackstor

Member
Location
Carlisle
It does look as though there is 2 tiers of pricing, the very best of wool is still coming to good money where as the coarser, more common wool is getting cheaper. China has a lot of wool left over from previous years which I'm guessing is a major factor of the poor prices.
Would China be one of our biggest customers Frank?
 

shearerlad

Member
Livestock Farmer
Copy and paste from email received today.
No wonder the lad was puffing when building them onto his lorry!!

Dear Producer, This message is to confirm that we have received a clip from you today, with a weight of 1450 Kgs in 14 containers. Your payment will be made shortly via BACS directly into your account.
 

Frank-the-Wool

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
It does look as though there is 2 tiers of pricing, the very best of wool is still coming to good money where as the coarser, more common wool is getting cheaper. China has a lot of wool left over from previous years which I'm guessing is a major factor of the poor prices.
Would China be one of our biggest customers Frank?

China is the largest buyer of British wool after our own processors. Greasy wool is sold to China through the Bradford wool merchants.
What is sold through the auction system is mostly sold direct to China.
What is sold through the "Irish" (now in fact the largest buyer of British and Irish wool) will blend this wool to keep the price down.
If all wool is sold through the auction system it helps to increase the value for all wool producers.

Fine wools are at a record high price and I am sure the better British wools will rise in price as they are used to substitute other fine wools.
 

The Ruminant

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Hertfordshire
China buys most Australian wool too.
Our prices are at record highs at the moment, which is good as I start shearing Monday.
My ewe wool is around 19 micron and I hope to get over $10/kg at auction. Lamb wool should be around 17.5 micron and up to $15/kg.
I've an Australian friend who has merinos. I was talking to him about them six or seven years ago - it was fascinating. His are of the highest quality - the best I think had wool at 9-12 microns and the rest 15-18? - and he sells it all to Italy to make their finest wool suits.

He said the poorer the diet for the sheep, the finer (and hence better quality) the wool. I can't remember what price he got though.
 
Yes all Merinos. I don't think it gets any finer than around 12-13 microns, and most lines are around 20. Generally breeding for low micron means smaller less productive sheep. Reducing feed reduces the micron too, but will also reduce the tensile strength. Buyers don't want weak wool with a break (weak spot).
I join half my merino ewes to white suffocks and sell prime lamds from them.
 

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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