AWTA will be upgrading the internal laboratory data capture and certification systems in the Melbourne Raw Wool Laboratory effective Monday 4th June 2018.
Recently, AWTA Ltd’s Raw Wool Laboratories completed a biennial re calibration of all LASERSCAN, OFDA and Airflow instruments as required by the International Wool Textile Organisation, Interwoollabs and NATA as part of part of our ongoing accreditation requirements. The new series of calibration tops (Interwoollabs Series 22) included 2 new tops at 15.53 μm and 18.73 μm with associated curvature results of 80 and 69 0/mm respectively.
The Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee forecasts that Australian shorn wool production in 2017/18 will reach 338 mkg greasy. This is a 0.6% decline from the levels in 2016/17 and is largely the result of more difficult seasonal conditions in many of the major wool growing areas. This has resulted in lower fleece weights. It comes despite the strong wool market conditions which are encouraging producers to retain sheep.
The monthly comparisons of Total Lots, Bales and Weight for April 2018 compared with the same period last season are:
+13.2%, +11.8% and +11.7% respectively.
Note that there were more working days in April 2018 than the same period last year due to Easter.
The monthly comparisons of Total Lots, Bales and Weight for March 2018 compared with the same period last season are:
-8.7%, -13.4% and -13.7% respectively.