The Dept. of Agriculture launched its first awareness campaign in 1993 to rid farms of illegal and redundant chemicals. This may give you an idea as to what could still be on the farms. Many more chemicals have since been prohibited in terms of Section 7 (bis) of Act 36 of 1947, Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Stock Remedies, Agricultural Remedies Act, which may still be on farms.

No farmer or individual will be prosecuted for being in possession. All we plead is to get rid off and hand in the chemicals. This is the last such exercise. The tentative cut off date still to be verified is 31/01/2012. The chemicals to be handed in at Sundays River Citrus Co situated at Kirkwood.

The programme will be controlled and organized by the Directorate Hazardous Waste Management. Money from the World Bank has been allocated for this project.

The collection thus far has yielded fairly good results; Limpopo Province approx 120 tons, Free State approx 75 tons, Western Cape approx 80 tons.  The Dept. of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) is therefore appealing to farmers to make the collection in the Eastern Cape a good one.

To view the list of Agricultural and Stock remedies withdrawn from the market, click on this link.  

Should you have unwanted and obsolete pesticides, which you want to get rid of, please fill in the attached form.  Click link to view the questionnaire. 

THE International Wool Organisation (IWTO) is the international body representing the interests of the world’s wool textile trade and industry.  As such, its membership covers the wool growers, traders, primary processors, spinners and weavers of wool and allied fibres in its member countries, as well as all kinds of organisations related to wool products and the wool business in general.  It provides for them a forum for discussion of problems of joint concern and acts as their spokesman with all those bodies and authorities towards whom a common approach is deemed necessary.

MISSION

IWTO’s mission is to help its Wool Industry Members to understand the textile demands of the consumers, and to enhance the response to them with products and promotional activities especially developed to meet their needs, with a fibre that is highly desirable for its social, technical, comfortable and sustainable values.  The expected outcome should be a better positioning of the wool fibre on top of consumers’ choices and preferences, and to bring a steady increase of wool sales and higher market share, and the maintenance of commercial advantages along the entire wool demand chain, from wool growers to retailers all around the world.

Its vision is to position and value wool clearly in the consumer mind as a material that is desirable for its technical, ethical and comfort values.  The global wool industry is:

• Producing around 2,1 million tons of wool per year.
• Taking care of more than 1 billion sheep around the world, with the highest focus on animal welfare.
• Almost 78% of the world wool production is taking place in IWTO member countries.
• Almost 816 000 tonnes of fabric (wool and other wool blends) is produced annually by the global wool industry, of which 92% is produced in IWTO member countries.
• Over 900 000 tonnes of raw wool (greasy, scoured, carbonised) is traded yearly, with IWTO members accounting for 87%.
• The value of raw wool exports (greasy, scoured, carbonised) from IWTO members is around US$2,5 billion yearly (source: Woolmark).
• The value of wool tops exported from IWTO countries is around US$ 1,2 billion annually (source: Woolmark).
• Some 92% of the world production of wool tops is manufactured in IWTO member countries.
• Over 2 million tons of yarn (wool and other fibres) is annually produced in the world, of which IWTO member countries account for 72%.
• About 90% of all worldwide fabrics containing wool is produced in IWTO member countries.
• The total retail value of sales of wool products is around US$80 billion yearly (source: Woolmark).
• IWTO represents an industry with more than 200 000 commercial farms and several million small-holdings worldwide, and more than 4 000 wool and textile manufacturing companies.
• The wool industry employs millions of people in production, harvesting and throughout its many processing stages.

The four pillars of IWTO are: trading instruments (such as test methods, market information and statistics and licensing test laboratories), facilitating industry strategy, market access and development and networking through its congresses and events.

The South African wool industry is represented at IWTO by the South African Wool Textile Council.  Representatives of Cape Wools and the NWGA regularly attend NWGA meetings.

It organises a multitude of events

IWTO organises a multitude of events (listed hereunder) each year to promote communication and consequent action within the wool industry.

IWTO congress

This is an annual event which provides a strong platform for business contacts and serves as a useful forum for discussion and exchange between members on issues of interest to the industry and makes it possible to adopt convergent positions to overcome specific problems.

IWTO Wool Forum

The IWTO Wool Forum is held each year around March/April and gives an update on the latest innovations of the wool and textile industry.

IWTO Country Summit

IWTO organizes is IWTO Country Summits on request. These summits are organised from time to time in new upcoming and/or especially interesting wool textile countries to create a platform for members to establish new business contacts and communication in the respective countries.

Wool show cases

IWTO organizes and executes stalls (wool show cases) at leading international exhibitions and trade shows. All members have the opportunity to participate in these stalls in order to communicate and promote the benefits of wool to all players in the supply chain as well as to the final consumer.

Blue book

Developed over the years by the IWTO, the Blue Book represents the basis for the conditions under which most of the world wool trade conducts its business. The rules contained in it are agreed upon by the various players in the wool-textile trade and industry. The Blue Book is regularly reviewed to reflect current commercial practices and requirements.

Arbitration

The International Wool Textile Arbitration Agreement, set out in the Blue Book, provides for the resolution of disputes arising between partners from different countries. Such a procedure ensures a fair and efficient settlement thanks to the involvement of committed and experienced arbitrators from the industry.

Test methods and regulations

IWTO develops and regularly updates a number of test methods and regulations to ensure standardisation and reliability of tests carried out on the fibre and to maximise and enhance its unique intrinsic characteristics.

Laboratory licensing

IWTO is providing an international licensing scheme for laboratories in compliance with the criteria required to issue IWTO test certificates for specific test methods and regulations. This initiative gives enhanced credibility to wool testing around the world.

Super “S” labelling

IWTO is providing, through an international licensing scheme, a world-wide registered label for identification of fine wool fabrics and clothing.

Market intelligence/statistics

IWTO annually publishes a Market Information booklet, setting out detailed figures covering the different stages of activity in the industry.

World Wool Award (WWA)

On an annual basis, IWTO is awarding students and entrepreneurs from textile, fashion and marketing areas, for outstanding projects in the fields of design, technology and marketing related to wool.

International Student exchange programme (ISEP)

This project is aimed at strengthening links between wool industry and education institutions by enabling young, talented people to undertake industrial and academic placements in companies or organisations active in the wool sector.

DIE vooruitsigte vir die wolmark vir 2011/12 lyk ondanks die ekonomiese onsekerheid in die Euro-sone belowend, aldus die jongste kommoditeitsverslag van die Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (Abares).

Die buro verwag dat daar op kort termyn ’n afplatting sal wees in die vraag na wolprodukte in die Organisasie vir Ekonomiese Samewerking en Ontwikkeling, wat bestaan uit die ryk nywerheidslande van die wêreld (OESO). Dit geld veral vir Amerika, Japan en Brittanje, waar voorraad moontlik in die woltekstielketting kan opbou.

Voorraadvlakke

Voorraadvlakke reg oor die wêreld is egter nog laag, terwyl wolproduksie in die belangrikste uitvoerlande na verwagting sal daal. Dit kan as teenwig vir die afname in die vraag dien.

Vraag uit China

Die enigste uitsondering is Australië, waar skaapgetalle aan die toeneem is en produksie na raming met 1% tot 355 miljoen kg sal styg.  Abares grond sy positiewe vooruitskouing op die feit dat die vraag uit China na verwagting sterk sal bly, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van die verwagte groei in die binnelandse verbruik van wol.

Luidens die verslag word sowat 50% van die wol wat Australië na China uitvoer deur die binnelandse mark geabsorbeer.

Hoewel China se ekonomiese groei na verwagting ietwat kan afplat vergeleke met die vorige jaar, is die verwagting dié land se ekonomie nietemin stewige groei sal toon.

 Tekstielbedryf

’n Bemoedigende teken is dat die regering steeds in die land se tekstielbedryf belê en groei in dié sektor stimuleer.            China het in verlede jaar reeds begin om groot beleggings in die opgradering en uitbreiding van die tekstielbedryf te maak, wat in dié jaar voortgesit is.

Die Chinese verwerk tans 50% van alle vesels wat in die wêreld geproduseer word. Dié land het verlede jaar 450 miljoen kg wol verwerk. Dit is 42% van die wêreld se wolproduksie.  Plaaslike uitvoerders wat pas ’n wolkongres in Nanjing, China, bygewoon het, sê die meeste wolverwerkers was positief oor die vooruitsigte vir dié seisoen.

Die verwagting was dat pryse wel van tyd tot tyd sal terugsak, maar dat die huidige vlakke volhoubaar is en waarskynlik verder sal styg.  Dit sal egter net kan gebeur as die Europeërs ’n oplossing vir die skuldkrisis vind en die wêreld nie weer in ’n resessie verval nie.

Wisselkoerse

Die beskikbaarheid van wol en wisselkoersbewegings sal dié seisoen weer ’n belangrike rol in beweging van die wolmark speel, soos tydens die laaste paar veilings gebeur het.  Die plaaslike mark het danksy die aanmerklike daling van die rand teenoor die Amerikaanse dollar die afgelope paar weke gestyg.                               

Die Merino-aanwyser het op die veiling van 21 September die vorige seisoen se hoogste vlak verbygesteek en nader aan die sleutelvlak van R100/kg beweeg.  Die veilings is sover gekenmerk deur goeie vraag, wat ongetwyfeld aangehelp word deur die feit dat kopers nou weer na China kan uitvoer. Die eerste besendings is reeds verskeep.

In Australië het die mark die laaste paar veilings teruggesak omdat die Australiese dollar nie so skerp gedaal het nie en waarskynlik ook weens die groot aanbiedings.

Een van die treffende foto's wat in die tweede fase van die Australiese bemarkingsmaatskappy, The Woolmark Company, se veldtog gebruik gaan word om Merinowol te bevorder. In dié veldtog word beoog om ’n boodskap aan die verbruiker uit te dra dat wol lig en sag teen die vel is en die persepsie dat dit krap, te verander. Die naam van die veldtog is: "Merino. No Finer Feeling."

“Fashion starts with the fabric”, “wool is the best fibre”, and “we must get its message out to the world,” Vogue editor Kirstie Clements. “Wool is a pleasure to work with. I love the light bouncy handle to suiting wool and it sews and presses so perfectly. There is no better fibre to tailor with.” Sydney designer Dion Lee and winner of the 2010 L’Oreal Melbourne fashion festival (LMFF) of the Australian Wool Innovation.

Wool intake is steadily increasing together with the quality of wool also improving, prospects remain positive. A decent cold winter in the northern hemisphere also goes a long way to cleaning out retailers stocks this should give retailers confidence to restock. A relative stable currency market with no nasty surprises from world economies, markets should remain at these levels for the next few months. This will give spinners the opportunity to get accustomed to the new price levels, rethink their position, and commit themselves to production.-(Johan Louw Manager : CMW Wool-marketing). Continue reading »

As wool is composed of 50% carbon that has been captured and stored from the atmosphere, it is a natural carbon store. Each kilogram of greasy wool… Continue reading »