Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) informed that AWTA Ltd (AWTA) test volumes were lower for the month of January 2006 compared with January 2005; however an anticipated pick-up in fleece weights in New South Wales and Western Australia may see a turnaround in test data for February 2006.
Season-to-date, test volumes by state are all lower year-on-year except for Western Australia (WA), which remains close to breakeven with the 2004/05 season.
For the July 2005 to January 2006 period, WA test volumes are marginally higher year-on-year, leaving WA well positioned to still record a significantly higher year-on-year increase in test volumes.
Much of the wool tested in the last half of the season is produced in the 'Great Southern' region, where volumes were adversely affected during February to June 2005 by the early finish to the 2004 season.
However, the 2005 pasture growing season has been exceptional in this area, with the expectation that fleece weights from sheep shorn for the remainder of the season will be significantly higher than for the same period in 2005.
Test volumes in New South Wales (NSW) from July 2005 to January 2006 are lower year-on-year.
For the remaining states, Queensland season-to-date test volumes and Victorian test volumes are similarly lower; Tasmania and SA are both notably below the same period in the 2004/05 season.
The Australian Wool Testing Authority was established in 1957by the Commonwealth Government of the day in response to requests from the Australian wool industry.
Australian Wool Innovation Limited
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