Domestic sheep flock to hit five-year high

The Australian wool industry has released its estimates on production. See the figures and what they mean for farmers.

Australia’s wool industry is on the rise with predictions the flock will break through 70 million for the first time in five years.

The Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee today released its latest estimates on wool production for 2021-2022, and has estimated the national clip will come in at 314m kilograms – up 6.5 per cent on the year before.

It has also predicted a bigger clip next financial year of 321m kilograms, shorn from an estimated 70.9m sheep.

NSW wool production for the coming year is expected to break 100 million kilograms. Picture: Matt Turner

The last time the number of sheep shorn was above 70m was in 2018-2019, and even with the predicted increase to 70.9m next financial year, the flock is still historically low.

Production Forecasting Committee chairman Stephen Hill said the good season had improved wool cuts across many of the key sheep production areas.

“Abundant summer feed in many major wool producing regions together with an early break to the season continues to favour sheep and wool production,” Mr Hill said.

“Average cut per head is expected to increase by 3.2 per cent to 4.54 kilograms greasy.”

Mr Hill said Australian sheep producers were continuing to rebuild the flock, and the current

financial year shearing was estimated at 69m almost a third of which are in NSW.

“Interstate transfers and sheep slaughter from Western Australia have returned to normal levels, indicating a rebuild in their sheep flock,” Mr Hill said.

“AWTA wool test volumes to the end of March (2022) were up by 8.5 per cent on a year-on-year basis and first-hand offered wool at auction to the end of March was up by 11.1 per cent.”

NSW wool production for 2021-2022 is expected to break through 100m kilograms this year, up 4.7 per cent to 103.9m kilograms.

The next biggest wool producing state – Victoria – will cut 74.4m kilograms this financial year, up 5.2 per cent.

But the biggest jump is in Queensland wool production, albeit from a low base, which rise 20.8 per cent this season to 8.7m kilograms.

The National Committee drew on advice from the six state committees, each of which includes growers, brokers, private treaty merchants, sheep pregnancy scanners, representatives from state Departments of Agriculture and the Australian Wool Testing Authority.

Data and input were also drawn from AWEX, wool exporters, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABARES, and Meat and Livestock Australia.

The next release on flock numbers and wool production estimates will be in September.