According to the latest data from AWEX, there was a 7% lift in the number of first-hand farm bales offered at auction with a National Wool Declaration (NWD) this season between July 2020 to January 2021. At the same time, there was an 11% decline in the number of bales offered at auction that did not have a declaration. As result, 75.9% of all first-hand farm bales offered at auction this season had a declaration (which includes blank or mulesed declarations). This is an increase on the 73.8% of bales offered in the 2019/20 season. This rise continues the lift in the proportion of farm bales offered with an NWD since 2013/14 when less than half (only 43%) of farm bales offered had an NWD.

By micron category, 80% of superfine wool (18.5 micron & finer) had an NWD for the 2020/21 season to date, while 75.4% of 18.6 micron to 24.5 micron farm bales offered at auction had an NWD. The proportion fell to 68.1% for wool of 24.6 micron & broader.

There are signs that the rate of increase in the share of NWD-declared wool is tapering off. NCWSBA believes that the Australian wool industry should strive to have 100% of all farm lots of wool offered at auction with an NWD.

Further details, including a chart showing the season-by-season uptake of the NWD since 2008, are provided in this week’s edition of the NCWSBA Weekly Newsletter. Available to members.