Sound future for wool says Barry

Press, 19 November 1982, Page 26

Sound future for wool says Barry

The long-term prospects for wool are sound, according to the deputy chairman of the Wool Board, Mr Peter Barry. - Speaking to the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists’ Conference at Greentanner Station in the McKenzie Country last week, Mr Barry pointed out that wool was a scarcefibre. “Its production is relatively finite, and as the production of synthetic fibres continues to rise to meet demand from the mass fashion industry, wool’s share, of the world’s total textile market will get even less than its current 5. per cent.” However, he said, a scarce •commodity was usually one with a price premium, and one that enjoyed consistent demand. “There are going to be fluctuations from time to

time, but there is always going to be the consumer willing to pay that little bit [ more for the item at the top ; of the product tree. In textile i terms, that’s wool,” he said. ! “The Government must provide an economic climate within which farmers can operate with confidence,” Mr Barry said. “Anthing less than that will have serious consequences for the industry and the whole economy.” Mr Barry also said that overseas market protectionism for sheepmeats had seri 7 ous implications for the wool industry. “Our sheep is a meat and wool animal and a drastic change to the market for either product will affect the. other. 'lf one should die then ‘ eventually the other 'will wither away as well,” he said. '