AWEX reported on the average price differences paid in 2017/18 for wool with the various mulesing status, compared with previous years. The data shows that the premiums paid for non-mulesed Merino wool at auction in 2017/18 lifted sharply compared with the 2016/17 season. AWEX says that on average there were premiums of 40 to 50 cents/kg for non-mulesed Merino wool of between 16 and 20 microns. This is up from between 15 and 30 cents in 2016/17 and much higher than for any of the previous three seasons. The highest premium was for 18 micron wool, which recorded a premium of 57 cents/kg on average over the season. The average masks some of the much higher premiums that were achieved for finer non-mulesed Merino wool of 100 cents/kg and more during the season. As volumes of Non-Mulesed Merino wool lift and demand for this wool continues to grow, these premiums can be expected to lift even further in coming seasons. For higher micron wool, particularly Crossbred wool, the premiums are more variable, although there are some statistically significant premiums.

Further details including a chart showing the price differences for non-mulesed wool in 2017/18 compared with previous seasons is included in the NCWSBA Weekly Newsletter for the week ending 20th July 2018, available to NCWSBA members.