World Wool Production Record In 1959-60

Press, Volume C, Issue 29602, 26 August 1961, Page 12

World Wool Production Record In 1959-60

(N.Z.P.A -Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, Aug. 25. World wool production reached a record peak of 5400 m lb (greasy basis) in the 1959-60 season, according to a world review of industrial fibre production, compiled by the Commonwealth Economic Committee. The review, released today, said the increase was more than 5 per cent. Increased production outside the Chinese-Soviet bloc amounted to 4 per cent, (or 174 m lb), of which Australia and New Zealand accounted for 135 m lb. Output in the Soviet Union, the world’s second biggest producer, rose by 65m lb or 9 per cent. About 3 per cent., or 2,300,0001 b of the world wool production increase, came from Merino fleeces. The review said favour, able prices in the 1959-60 season enabled both the New Zealand and South African ’ 'lol Commissions to dispose of virtually all their stocks, but in the first half of the 1960-61 season both commissions were forced to support the market, the South African Commission more heavily than the New Zealand one. The world sheep population in 1959-60 was estimated at 917 m, about 1J per cent, more than the previous season. One-third of the population —31 m was in the Commonwealth, and the number in the Chinese-Soviet bloc was put at 240 million. Australian and New Zealand increases were considerably higher than the rest of the world, although they were only about half the Soviet Union’s figure, where the population doubled. Both Australia and New Zealand increased their shares of the export markets compared with pre-war years. Australia's share rose from 46 per cent, to 53 per cent., and New Zealand’s from 20 to 24 per cent. South Africa’s share fell by 1 per cent, to 9 per cent. The biggest absolute change in New Zealand’s exports was a fall of 23m lb cr 26 per cent., in exports to the United States. Exports to the Soviet Union rose from nil to 13m lb, those to

Poland doubled, and shipments to China rose by 50 per cent. Exports to Common Market countries rose by 8 per cent., with Belgium and Italy accounting for most of the increase. Shipments to the United Kingdom showed little change from the previous season’s 173 m lb. Analysing the United Kingdom imports of wool, the review said that gross imports totalled 752 m lb, 14 per cent, more than in 1958. About 44 per cent.-of this came from Australia. 23 per cent, from New Zealand, and 9 per cent, from South Africa. The 60Sm lb imported from the Commonwealth accounted for 80 per cent, of the total.