FARMERS will not see a rise in the price they get for their clip this year, according to the British Wool Marketing Board.

The BWMB blames the tough global wool market for the payment freeze on fleeces, but says they are working hard to maximise producer returns through new marketing intiatives.

Blackface breeders, who received as little as 61p/kg in 2015, are expected to get the same this year but that is still 21p more than people with Swaledales who are stuck at just 40p/kg.

BWMB chairman Ian Buchanan said: “It is no secret that wool prices are under pressure this year, resulting in producer returns being lower than in 2015, as is the case for wool producers across the globe.

“This is a result of the strong sterling for most of the selling season coupled with a weak New Zealand dollar.”

Mr Buchanan said prices for some breeds could be harder hit than others due to a downturn in the demand for carpet style wools.

“In the last six months there has been a continued demand for the fine and medium wools as a result of Chinese interest.

“Fine and medium wools such as Texel and Lleyn wool are expected to average £1.02/kg, with Cheviot wool at £1.20/kg and Romney wool around £1.12/kg.

“The carpet wool market has been tougher, due to tight price boundaries being pushed by retailers and the increasing use of polypropylene.”

However, in order to drive deman, the board, with support from the Campaign for Wool (CfW), has recently launched a new trade show for carpets.

“This was the first show of its kind held in London and was well supported by the UK carpet industry and was aimed specifically at carpet retailers, manufacturers and the interior design sector.

“The UK is still a major market for using British wool in carpets and with a difficult retail market in the UK, the show proved timely and successful, with commitments from the manufacturers already for next year’s show.

A new website – www. woolretailer.com – has also been launched which highlights wool retailers in a particular area.

Clearance rates at BWMB auction sales over the last few months have been strong and there is still demand for quality British wools, said Mr Buchanan.

As the last surviving agricultural marketing board in the UK, the board is charged with collecting, grading and marketing every fleece from every flock of more than five sheep around the British Isles.

Mr Buchanan said it was important farmers had confidence in their ability to secure the best price.

“The BWMB is the only way to achieve the true market value for your wool.

“The wool market, by its nature, will always be a competitive one and through its collaborative and cooperative nature BWMB is well placed to deliver the best returns for producers.

“Collective marketing through BWMB delivers many benefits, not least the opportunity for wool to be sold via the board’s competitive auction system, a proven method over many years delivering the best possible returns for wool producers.”