Comment: Room to move on mohair

Comment: Weaving quality mohair is keeping the door open for angora farmers to get even higher returns, writes Federated Farmers - Mohair New Zealand chairman Carl King.

New Zealand mohair is experiencing a lift in fleece prices.

The main two drivers behind the boost are that overseas demand outstrips supply and Australia and South African angora goats are facing severe drought conditions.

Top quality angora fleeces are on average being sold at $40 a kilo plus.

With average fleece weights of 2.5kg shearing twice a year producing mohair is a solid farming investment.

Angoras can be integrated into existing farming operations such as beef and or replacing/reducing sheep numbers.

Angoras work well with beef as they don't share the same worm burden and eat different areas of the pasture.

This industry has an opportunity to do even better.

Weaving quality mohair is keeping the door open for angora farmers to get even higher returns.

Read more from Federated Farmers here.

France and Italy are only two of the high demand locations wanting more than what we produce. As a farming nation the opportunities are there to meet more of these demands.

A problem that may be holding the New Zealand industry back from taking full advantage of the current demand situation is how hard it is to build flocks up given the amount of stock that is available for sale.

You would struggle to get 500 angoras to build your base if you started today.

Even if you were to try to source angoras from Australia you have two hurdles being; the drought to overcome as a lot of angoras have been sent to the works because of the weather; second being the quarantine costs for three months.

Mohair production is an industry that needs to be wider. New Zealand only serves 1 per cent of the mohair market worldwide.

MNZ board is working hard with producers to improve mohair production within current and new farming operations.

Younger farmers are required to keep the mohair industry alive and the opportunities are there with improving genetics and increasing mohair prices to build a strong profitable farming operation.

Moreover, that is what we, as farmers, are about – opportunities.