Cautious but still optimistic about wool

"It is unusual to get good seasons and good prices and this year the outlook for a big spring is positive," the Merino breeder from Wongara, Old Junee, said.

"Wool prices are good, but they have sort of crept up on us; I got the best price ever for my lamb's wool this year which was something I didn't really expect."

Mr Walker will not be increasing his flock in response to the lift in wool prices, but will rather focus on improving the state of his pastures to have better nutrition to increase individual sheep production.

"I've seen plenty of bad seasons with bad wool prices so I want to make the most of what we have now to ensure the future," he said.

"And with that run of bad seasons there is no reason to doubt we can't have a few good ones in front of us."

In the medium term, Mr Walker said he expected wool prices to hold or even increase their value due to restricted supply coming out of Australia due to low sheep numbers.

He ascribed the solid demand for wool to low production in Australia and the continued strong inquiry from China; however, he would like to see a greater spread of markets for our wool rather than concentrating on China.

"They have been very good to us and have invested a lot of money in mills for processing wool," he said.

"But it's like we have a lot of our eggs in one basket and so that is a bit of concern for me.

"I do think AWI (Australian Wool Innovation) are doing a great job in keeping wool as a quality product in front of consumers and are sometimes unfairly criticised."

Mr Walker expects an increase in demand for wool once the world overcomes the COVID-19 pandemic and it returns to something like normal.

"I think people will want to get out and start buying after months of lockdown," he said.

"It remains to be seen, but maybe people will start to appreciate the virtues of wool as a sustainable product."

The biggest issue for Mr Walker and many in the wool industry will agree is the shortage of skilled labour including shed staff and sheep handling contractors.

"Of most concern for me is getting and keeping shearers and shed hands are becoming hard to find," he said.

"The shearers who come here are in their 60's and I don't see many young people stepping up to take their place ... that is a real worry and I hope it doesn't push wool growers out of the industry and into other breeds.

"Shearing twice a year has become a big thing, and I have seen an increase in staple length.

"But I think the sheep are losing their lock and density with the extra long staple."

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