Wool report: Unprecedented times for magnificent fibre

PGG Wrightson's GM for Wool Grant Edwards. Photo / Supplied

Content brought to you by PGG Wrightson.

This week The Country's Jamie Mackay is joined by PGG Wrightson's GM for wool Grant Edwards to look at the wool market this month.

The market dropped around 25 per cent post lockdown, and another 10 per cent in June. Mackay wondered if this was raising concerns.

Currently the international climate was in unprecedented times, with some countries still in lockdown, and this put things into perspective, Edwards said.

Recent sales in Napier and Christchurch had lifted the market, providing some potential light at the end of the tunnel, Edwards said.

Cavalier Corporation had announced it was committed to all wool and natural fibres in its carpets which was also good news, Mackay said.

In addition, Mackay highlighted from the press release, that 15-20 per cent of carpet sales in New Zealand are made from wool.

Edwards stressed there was a need to increase consumer demand and drive the wool story to the public. Mackay disagreed, saying the wool story had been around and the focus should be more on end uses and consumer products.

Listen below:

Edwards believed there was a need for a government body to market wool internationally from a combined industry effort. But there was a need for a robust plan throughout the industry to have the confidence to invest in this.

Edward concluded the interview with a couple of pertinent quotes he'd found in 1950s media cuttings.

The first illustrated that concerns over natural fibres being replaced by synthetics were nothing new.

"The greatest threat to the wool industry is synthetics and crossbred wool is the easiest supplanted."

The second quote however, could offer the modern-day farmer hope for the future.

"[There is] no substance to the reports that synthetics could put the wool industry out of business."