Page Content
Wool
Key Facts on the Australian Wool Industry
|
|
Unit |
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 Forecast |
% change 2006-07 to 2007-08 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sheep numbers |
Million |
91 |
86 |
85 |
-1.17 |
|
Production |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sheep shorn |
Million |
104 |
100 |
94 |
-6.00 |
|
Total wool Production |
Kt, greasy |
510 |
477 |
437 |
-8.39 |
|
Gross Value of Production |
$A billion |
2.093 |
2.278 |
2.694 |
18.26 |
|
Wool Exports |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Volume |
Kt, greasy |
543 |
566 |
437 |
-22.80 |
|
Value |
$A billion |
2.544 |
3.065 |
2.647 |
-13.64 |
|
Prices |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern Market Indicator |
Cents/kg clean |
713 |
864 |
970 |
12.26 |
|
Auction price |
Cents/kg greasy |
464 |
544 |
616 |
13.26 |
Source: ABARE – Australian Commodities report: March quarter 2008
Sheep Numbers
- The dominant sheep breed in Australia is the Merino, accounting for approximately 80 per cent of all sheep.
- The difference of nine million between the number of sheep and the number of sheep shorn is due to some sheep being shorn twice.
Export Statistics
Wool Exports – Greasy Equivalents – 2006-07
|
|
Volume |
Value |
Market share volume |
|---|---|---|---|
|
China |
376 |
2,031 |
66.4 |
|
Italy |
41 |
260 |
7.2 |
|
India |
30 |
162 |
5.3 |
|
EU - other |
20 |
88 |
3.5 |
|
Czech Republic |
15 |
68 |
2.6 |
|
Other |
84 |
456 |
15.0 |
|
Total – All Countries |
566 |
3,065 |
100.0 |
Source: ABARE Commodities 2007 report – December 2007
Value of wool to Australia’s economy
- Wool is the third most valuable agricultural export behind meat and crops.
- The significant difference between the wool production and gross value of production; and the volume and value of wool exports is due to exporters selling their stockpile (wool they have saved from previous years).
Last reviewed: 26 Nov 2008
Contact: