BUYERS requests for mulesing status certification of Australian wool continues to grow, AWEX quality and project manager Kerrie Hansford said this week.

In the 10th year since the introduction of the National Wool Declaration, Ms Hansford addressed the Australian Wool Innovation 2018 breech flystrike research, development and extension technical update in Sydney on Tuesday.

“The number of requests AWEX receives from buyers for Certificates of Mulesing Status for their customers continues to grow each year,” she said.

“Importantly, when a non-compliant clip is identified, buyers are now faced with the predicament of cancelling their purchased lot(s),” she said.

Dr Hansford told the wool industry stakeholders at the update that between 2008 and 2017, the Australian NWD declaration rate for first-hand offered wool has increased from 38 percent to 66pc.

She said Non Mulesed (NM) declarations have increased from 3pc to 12pc; Pain Relief (PR) declarations have increased from 3pc to 32pc; Mulesed (M) declarations have decreased from 29pc to 20pc, and; Not Declared (ND) line numbers have decreased from 62pc to 34pc.

“Whilst nationally Australia is achieving a declaration rate of 66pc, when you drill down further, states such as Tasmania and Victoria are achieving high declaration rates of 82pc and 78pc, respectively.

“Conversely, the WA declaration rate is 35pc and has great potential to improve,” she said.

AWEX said the NWD declaration rate has steadily grown over the past 10 years and has become a critical piece of information for buyers when making their purchasing decisions.

“Over the last 10 years AWEX has regularly reviewed the NWD and its Integrity Program, with each review focusing on those issues that will ensure that the NWD continues to deliver what the world is demanding into the future.” Dr Hansford said.

“Each review refines the NWD and gives our customers greater trust and confidence in the credentials of Australian wool.”

Sound price signals around mulesing status

Dr Hansford said after 10 years, the volume of wool being sold is consistently providing sound price signals that can be reported.

The market is giving clear indicators on how the declaration of mulesing status can influence price, with a market incentive of 40-50c/kg clean for 16-20 micron wool of Non Mulesed status.

“These results are an average, with the variation in price indicating that some of the finer Merino types receive more than 100 c/kg clean for wool with a NM declaration.

“This is the clearest price signal of all the mulesing status categories, with the other categories being modest or non-existent.”

Source: AWEX.