The latest Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee\u2019s forecast of shorn wool production for 2022\/23 is 328 Mkg greasy, up 1.3% on 2021\/22. Most key wool producing regions experienced a favourable summer season, a reasonable autumn and are heading into winter with a sufficient supply of feed.<\/p>\n
AWPFC Chairman, Stephen Hill said that “average cut per head is expected to increase to 4.59 kg greasy, (up 2.2%) the result of historically high levels in most states and is a reflection of the current run of three good seasons\u201d. Most Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA) key test data (Table 3) up to the end of March 2023 are very similar to the same time last season.<\/p>\n
\u201cShorn sheep numbers are expected to be 71.5 million head (down 0.1%), due to reduced sheepmeat prices and a forecast El Ni\u00f1o in spring\u201d. New South Wales continues to have the largest sheep flock with an expected 25.9 million sheep shorn resulting in a shorn wool production of 119.0 Mkg greasy. Victoria is expected to shear 16.1 million sheep and produce 70.0 Mkg greasy.<\/p>\n
AWTA wool test volumes to the end of March 2023 were up by 2.5% on a year-on-year basis. First-hand offered wool at auction to the end of March 2023 (week 40) was on par with the same time period in 2022, up by 0.7%.<\/p>\n
The AWPFC\u2019s first forecast of shorn wool production for the 2023\/24 season is 332 Mkg greasy, a 1.4% increase on the 2022\/23 forecast as a result of modest increases in the number of sheep shorn (up 1.7%). The Committee expects the average cut per head to remain at 4.58 kg greasy which is at an historically high level (87th percentile).<\/p>\n
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| <\/td>\n | \n <\/strong>2021\/22<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong>2022\/23<\/strong><\/p>\n Fourth Forecast<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Change<\/em> 2023\/24<\/strong><\/p>\n First Forecast<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Change <\/strong><\/p>\n Sheep numbers shorn<\/strong><\/p>\n (million<\/em> head)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 71.6<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 71.5<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n -0.1%<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 72.7<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1.7%<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Average cut per head<\/strong><\/p>\n (greasy<\/em> kg\/head)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 4.52<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 4.59<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 2.2%<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 4.58<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 0.0%<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Shorn wool production<\/strong><\/p>\n (Mkg greasy)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 324<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 328<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1.3%<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 332<\/p>\n<\/td>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1.4%<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.<\/em><\/p>\n |