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Wool industry needs new blood.
11th August 07.
Dear Sir,
Although the vast bulk of my time is spent in the operating theatre rather than the paddock or woolshed, I have been a woolgrower for 10 years and have seen many changes to the wool industry; few of the changes in that time have been to the advantage of the Australian wool grower.
The problems the industry currently faces are legion. They include an ever increasing cost of production, an unwelcome focus on some of the animal husbandry practices that are used to keep our flock healthy and productive, a declining share of the fibre market and poor ability to combat the competition faced from synthetic fibres in particular.
Unfortunately wool currently finds itself in a position of justifying its continued relevance, rather than advancing the fine detail of its fibre and production. This being the case, better use of woolgrower funds, generated through the levy woolgrowers have voted to continue, would be helpful in addressing the most pressing problem – that of getting wool sold and in demand again.
Less should therefore, in this current climate, be devoted to research and development, and more to marketing and promotion.
The unfortunate fact is that in any research program, large amounts of the funds invested will actually lead to no tangible benefit. In pharmaceutical research for instance, only about 10% of the research projects will make it to market. In an industry with high margins and a surplus of funds to invest this is acceptable, but in the case of the wool industry priorities at present must be different.
We therefore need leadership, and a constructive, practical and problem solving approach to address the troublesome issues that confront us. Roger Fletcher’s proven success in business offers us access to the skills he has used to solve problems in another industry racked with problems. He would be a valuable asset on the board of AWI.
Dr Matthew Bayfield
Vice Chairman
AWGA.
0418 628 861
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