Sheep farmers selling their wool through the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB), can look forward to improved prices in the coming years with a new strategy to boost sales and increase demand.

Speaking at a press briefing at last week's Scotsheep event at Kings Arms Farm, Ballantrae, Joe Farren, chief executive officer of the BWMB said wool prices have historically been 25% lower than those in New Zealand, but a change in the way the board manages the auction sales at Bradford means that prices have improved and are now 5% higher than those down under.

More importantly, Mr Farren is confident this price appreciation can be maintained.

"No-one is happy when wool sells at on average £1.20-£1.50 per fleece, but I think we can look to double or even triple that in the next four to five years," he said pointing out that the new electronic auction system has attracted a lot more buyers to sales.

He added that the number of bidders forward for individual sales had diminished in recent years to just two or three big players with the result being that values were kept fairly low as smaller buyers felt they were unable to compete. The new electronic system in place now however means that smaller buyers have as much chance as the bigger processors without feeling intimidated, thereby helping to bolster trade.

The board also has a new

"We have a new strategy to market British wool as a distinct quality fibre which will be a three phase programme to include staff training and product display at the retail end of the carpet market; marketing of quality bedding materials and increased marketing in China where wool is increasingly being used as a luxury fibre.

"British wool already has a reputation for quality, heritage, good animal and environmental welfare in China and we are looking to build further on this through digital marketing."

Mr Farren added that the board is also looking to introduce a licensing scheme for the wool logo that can be validated with a new chemical test, with two levels available – more than 50% wool and less than 50% wool.

A call to improve the welfare of sheep being shorn was also made at the event by the Scottish Sheep Shearing Association, which urged producers to keep animals inside the night before or at least a couple of hours, if at all possible.

The association pointed out that shearing sheep straight out of the field with full stomachs was not only difficult for the shearer but also the animal being shorn.

Sheep should also be dagged before being presented for shearing, as shearers are now having to deal with an increasing amount of dirty sheep and sheep with maggots, which has proved particularly problematic this year.