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A case for a jolly swagman: 20 million missing sheep
24 Jun 2003
Two forecasts have been released on Australia's sheep numbers and how much wool the flock will produce both this year and in 2003-2004. However, the two forecasters came up with vastly different answers.
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics stated there were 101 million sheep in Australia in 2002-2003. About 117 million sheep were shorn (includes sheep sent to slaughter and those that may be shorn twice), producing about 500 million kilograms of wool. In 2003-2004, ABARE said the flock will increase to 104 million, with 124 million shorn and producing about 505 million kilos of wool.
Later on June 23, Australian Wool Innovation released its figures. It agreed that 117 million sheep will be shorn this year but said next year only 110 million will be shorn. AWI believes there are only 100 million sheep in Australia. It revised down its forecast for total wool production next financial year to 470 million kilograms.
The difference of 35 million kilograms of wool between ABARE and AWI is worth nearly $250 million.
AWI said it based its figures on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Australian Wool Exchange and ABARE interviews.
Tradingroom.com.au, 23/6/03.
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