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Big drop in sheep population
15 Sep 2003
There is more evidence that Australia's sheep flock is shrinking, with new figures showing that volumes of wool shorn this season will fall and Australians will eat less lamb than ever before this year.
Australian Wool Innovation has forecast a 2003-2004 production figure of 440 million kilograms, which is 30 million kilograms below the June 2003 forecast, 10 per cent less than 2002 and less than half the 1 billion kilogram record reached in 1989-1990. It's the lowest figure since 1948-1949. AWI said the production figure could be lowered again without follow-up rains from August in NSW, Australia's largest wool-producing state.
More positive for sheep producers, however, are projections from Meat and Livestock Australia. MLA says returns for lamb and sheepmeat are expected to remain favourable for at least the next five years. The positive outlook is due to strong local and export demand combined with low world supplies. Flock rebuilding is taking place, and slaughterings and live sheep exports fell 30 per cent by mid-2003 as producers hold on to stock.
Australian Financial Review, 15/9/03.
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