Domestic Wool Trading Slow,
Australian Market Is Steady

GREELEY, Colo. —(USDA)— The domestic wool industry remains slow with shearing in full swing in all areas, especially the Territory areas.

Demand for wool remains light regardless of wool type; grease basis, clean basis or graded wools in warehouses. Light demand has been the result of limited mill business as well as fabric demand, reduced hours of production and large inventories of wool.

Wool producers remain reluctant to sell at current prices, many feeling that prices can't go any lower, so they will store the wool and market some time later in the year.

In Territory trading, Montana's Garfield pool sold 31,000 pounds of 22-23.5 micron or finer, bellies out and untied, at 40.15 cents grease; also 15,000 pounds of 23.5-26.3 micron at 34.5 cents, bellies 17 cents, tags seven cents; 75,500 pounds 22-23.4 micron, bellies out and untied, staple or better 45-46 cents; 15,000 pounds, bellies out and untied, 23.5-24.9 micron, staple 42 cents. Colorado sold 150,000 pounds, bellies out and untied, some light skirting, staple, 23-23.5 micron at 40 cents; 40,000 pounds of feedlot lamb wool, 2.5-3 inch, 19-22 micron, whiteface 35 cents and crossbred 22 cents.

Idaho's Custer County pool elected not to accepts bids and will re-offer at a later date. Wyoming sold 50,000 pounds, bellies out and untied, staple, 22-23 micron at 53 cents; 40,000 pounds total of mixed 20.6-23.5 micron, bellies out and untied, average yield and vegetable matter, 46-47.5 cents. North Dakota moved 40,000 pounds of high yielding 22-23 micron at 48 cents.

Recent warehouse trading totaled 360,000 pounds: graded 21.0-22 micron, staple, was $1.00-1.25 clean, delivered to the processor; 24-25 micron 80 cents; 27.5-29.3 micron 60-70 cents.

Australia's market indicator closed virtually unchanged at 552A cent per kilo clean. A total of 95,481 bales was offered with clearance at 83 percent. The grease 21 micron contract closed for April at 594, June 601, August 609 and October 620. The 19 micron clean wool contract for April was 1050, June 1018, August 985 and October 981. The wool stockpile totals 1,055,044 bales.

No information is available from New Zealand as the New Zealand Wool Group has elected not to publish wool information for the next three months.

In Texas 80,000 pounds of mohair sold with spring kid at $4.75 and young goat $3.

South Africa's Cape mohair sale was marked by strong competition for finer types and received strong prices; 46,232 kilos of kid hair sold at an average price of 103.60SA rand per kilo; 50,691 kilos of young goat hair with average price of 55.95; and 43,154 kilos of find adult hair with average price of 26.29. The next sale is May 11.