This Datas reproduced from the 1998/99
Statistical Handbook of New Zealand Wool Group, a division of the NZWB. The
major trend is a reduction in Australian wool production in the 1990s due to
poor prices, which in turn was initiated by a recession in Japan and other
important wool consumers. Recovery has been hindered by acquisition of a
considerable stockpile in Australia early in the decade. Economic disruption
has also halved wool production in the Soviet Union (now CIS), but it is
growing significantly in China. New Zealand production is fairly stable, in
spite of modest prices and several droughts during the 1990s. The slow downward
trend is, in part, a result of buoyant
investment in dairying as a more profitable use of grassland.
There are several features of
world wool production worthy of additional comment.Australian wool production
is highly concentrated on the Merino breed and it therefore has a very dominant
position in fine wools, accounting for about half of world supplies. Although
approximately 75% of New Zealand production is categorised as crossbred type,
i.e. about 140 000 clean tonnes, this represents just 30% of world supplies.
The UK is a very substantial producer of coarse carpet wools and most of its
46000 tonne production competes directly with New Zealand offerings to the
carpet industries in Europe and elsewhere. Halfbred wools comprise a quite high
fraction (25%)
of the total world wool production. This classification notably includes a large
proportion of the predominant Corriedales and Merino cross wools sold out of
Argentina and Uruguay. World wool production in total is, however, modest
compared to the volumes of cotton and synthetic fibres. Wool available for
manufacturing from all sources at the end of the twentieth century accounts
probably for no more than 3% of total world fibre supply.
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