Representatives of giant Japanese retail chain Muji, and the company that supplies its wool tops, Motohiro, experienced firsthand the conditions that western Queensland wool is grown under when they visited the Longreach region last week.
Motohiro buys about 20 per cent of Australia's non-mulesed wool, about 100,000 kilograms or the equivalent of 540 bales from the Longreach region.
G Schneider Australia buys on their behalf in the auction room in Australia and managing director Tim Marwedel said it had been quite an experience for the seven men, who haven't ventured much beyond Sydney or Melbourne on previous visits.
"They saw the country at its best," he said.
"For a retailer to go to western Queensland to get a better understanding, I think that's pretty significant.
"It can only encourage them to buy more wool from the area."
As well as going on-property, the delegation took part in two grower nights, conducted with Elders and AWN clients.
Mr Marwedel said their interest had originally been piqued by the bushfires in Australia in the summer of 2019, when they wondered if the fires were having any impact on the growers whose wool they bought, and whether they could do anything to help.
"We explained that water was a bigger issue for Australian woolgrowers and they found on the visit that they were self-sufficient in that regard, or they wouldn't still be in business," Mr Marwedel said.
"Animal welfare is a big part of their ethos, and they saw that growers hadn't had any blowfly for 10 years because of drought and the plainer-bodied type of sheep that survive out there.
"There's a bigger percentage of sheep out there non-mulesed than in any other climate zone in Australia."
Elders state wool manager Bruce McLeish said it had been a good opportunity to discuss some of the inhibitors to mulesing in the area.
"There were some in the process of changing to non-mulesing but concerned about fly pressure with the very big season, and the increase in stain," he said. "Some are doing a second crutch, or applying more chemical, and some have plainer-bodied sheep."
Mr McLeish the group hadn't come to western Queensland to tell growers to change their practices, but had explained there would be an opportunity to buy their wool, possibly for a premium, if it was non-mulesed.
"They asked lots of questions about running a property, and to explain the ethical need their clients had," he said.
"If growers are doing their best to head down the non-mulesed track, they could take more wool - the premium would depend on the competition in the room."
Mr McLeish said he got the feeling from woolgrowers in general in Queensland that further moves towards stopping mulesing was being resisted until a viable and ethical alternative to mulesing was found, that had the same effect.
"It's just not practical for some," he said.
Mr Marwedel said the companies who visited Longreach had originally sourced their wool from New Zealand, where mulesing has been outlawed.
"Argentina, South Africa, Uruguay - none of them mules - Australia is on its own.
"Eighty-five per cent of growers here still do (mules), in the interests of their animals, but not mulesing is what clients are asking for."
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
