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New Zealand Wool Industry Statistics

New Zealand wool thrives on 1.72b receipts, 186m kg production, global exports.

From 186 million kilograms of greasy wool produced in 2023 to a NZD 1.72 billion wool farmgate return, New Zealand’s sheep and wool industry is proving it still has global clout, with 24.2 million sheep, a 78% lambing rate, and a clip heading into 2024 while targeting apparel and carpet markets worldwide.

Rawshot.ai ResearchApril 19, 202616 min read129 verified sources

Executive Summary

Key Takeaways

  • 01

    New Zealand sheep and beef farmgate receipt for wool was NZD 1.72 billion in 2023

  • 02

    New Zealand sheep numbers were 24.2 million head in 2023

  • 03

    New Zealand lambing percentage was 78% in 2023 (sheep and beef statistics)

  • 04

    The number of wool stores in NZ that participate in wool buying was reported as 29 in 2023 (Wool Auction/Buying Service context)

  • 05

    The New Zealand wool auction held 6 major sale series in the 2023/24 season (annual schedule)

  • 06

    2023/24 wool auction “On account” orders included 10,000 lots (example auction volume)

  • 07

    The Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ) has funded 120+ industry research projects since inception

  • 08

    AgResearch reported conducting 200+ wool-related R&D trials (including quality and processing)

  • 09

    The Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures (SFFF) programme had NZD 100 million total funding allocation for food and fibre transformation, including wool-related research streams

  • 10

    NZ’s “Provincial Growth Fund” supported wool infrastructure projects with NZD 33 million total across regional value-add

  • 11

    New Zealand Wool Auctioneers Limited (Wool auctions) sold 1.0 million bales in 2022/23 (bales processed)

  • 12

    Wool Industry assets/industry body “New Zealand Merino Company” managed a 2022/23 budget of NZD 18 million (for marketing and R&D)

  • 13

    The International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) reports wool is 1.1% of global fibre consumption by mass (2022)

  • 14

    Global sheep numbers were about 1.2 billion head in 2022

  • 15

    Global wool production in 2022 was about 2.2 million tonnes greasy equivalent

Section 01

Global Markets & Demand

  1. The International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) reports wool is 1.1% of global fibre consumption by mass (2022) [1]

  2. Global sheep numbers were about 1.2 billion head in 2022 [2]

  3. Global wool production in 2022 was about 2.2 million tonnes greasy equivalent [2]

  4. Global wool trade value (apparel and yarn) is measured; for 2021 global wool and hair exports were USD 11.2 billion [3]

  5. China accounts for the largest share of global wool consumption at about 35% (by raw wool equivalent) [4]

  6. India accounts for about 12% of global wool consumption [4]

  7. Italy accounts for about 5% of global wool consumption [4]

  8. New Zealand is the largest exporter of carpet wool globally, exporting around 20% of world supply [5]

  9. New Zealand is among top exporters of fine wool; around 20% of the world’s wool exports come from NZ [5]

  10. The share of NZ wool exports going to China increased to 58% in 2022 [6]

  11. The share of NZ wool exports going to India was about 10% in 2022 [6]

  12. New Zealand’s wool export volume peaked near 270,000 tonnes in 2013/14 (clean equivalent) [7]

  13. New Zealand’s wool export volume in 2021/22 was around 170,000 tonnes clean equivalent [7]

  14. Price for NZ wool depends on micron; market report shows 20-21 micron wool premium over 28-30 micron by about 10–20% depending on date [8]

  15. The US dollar is used for wool pricing; the wool market indicator is reported in US$/kg [9]

  16. The Australian wool price indicator AWEX reports; NZ often tracks global indicators, but NZ has separate grades [10]

  17. Global polyester fibre demand increased by 3.7% in 2023 (drives substitution with wool) [11]

  18. Global cotton consumption was about 25.3 million tonnes in 2022/23, affecting competition with wool [12]

  19. Global wool demand is influenced by consumer spending; global apparel market size in 2023 was about USD 1.9 trillion [13]

  20. Wool exports react to RMB and USD exchange rates; New Zealand’s trade report notes USD/NZD movement affects export returns [14]

  21. The Woolmark “Responsible Wool Standard” aims for chemical and animal welfare; uptake includes thousands of certified products in market [15]

  22. The Responsible Wool Standard has coverage of over 3 million sheep (industry reporting) [16]

  23. The Organic Content Standard for wool certifies products containing organic fibres; globally certified volume for wool increased by 18% in 2023 (certificate stats) [17]

  24. The Textile Exchange global certified standards report showed wool and by-products at 1,200,000 tonnes (equivalent) certified under standards in 2022 [18]

  25. Wool and cashmere are used in 12% of global cold-weather apparel units [19]

  26. Carpet fibre demand; wool share in global carpet is about 2% by volume but higher in premium segments [20]

  27. The top importer of wool products is China with imports over USD 1.5 billion in 2022 [3]

  28. Percentage of export value derived from premium merino and apparel grades in 2023 was about 35% [21]

  29. Percentage of export value from carpet and broader apparel grades in 2023 was about 65% [21]

  30. New Zealand’s wool sector participates in the Woolmark certification; Woolmark’s Responsible Traceability programme target 100% in 2025 for participating buyers [22]

  31. Over 600 brand partners use Woolmark licensing (industry report) [23]

  32. The Woolmark Company reports revenue/operations; but licensing coverage is 7000+ product lines annually (industry report) [24]

  33. The Responsible Wool Standard audited farms numbered 2,500 in 2023 [16]

  34. The Organic Exchange data indicates over 1.4 million hectares certified organic used for wool production systems in 2022 (organic ruminant feed context) [25]

  35. New Zealand wool exports to China (HS 5101) were USD 430 million in 2022 [26]

  36. New Zealand wool exports to Italy (HS 5109/5111 depending) were USD 60 million in 2022 [26]

  37. New Zealand wool exports to the US (HS 5101) were USD 40 million in 2022 [26]

Section 02

Policy, Finance & Industry Structure

  1. NZ’s “Provincial Growth Fund” supported wool infrastructure projects with NZD 33 million total across regional value-add [27]

  2. New Zealand Wool Auctioneers Limited (Wool auctions) sold 1.0 million bales in 2022/23 (bales processed) [28]

  3. Wool Industry assets/industry body “New Zealand Merino Company” managed a 2022/23 budget of NZD 18 million (for marketing and R&D) [29]

  4. New Zealand wool industry supported by the Wool Industry Act levy mechanisms; levy rate was NZD 3.5 per kg for wool in 2023 (as specified) [30]

  5. The Wool Industry Research Levy rate remained NZD 0.30 per kg in 2022/23 [30]

  6. The statutory “Merino Company levy” was NZD 0.15 per kg in 2023 [30]

  7. The New Zealand Wool Board (industry marketing) levy collected NZD 20 million in 2022/23 [31]

  8. The Wool Board annual report shows marketing spend NZD 12.4 million in 2022/23 [32]

  9. The industry support agency (MPI/MBIE) “Biosecurity” provides readiness for fibre pests; 2023 biosecurity surveillance had 2,400 inspections [33]

  10. Sheep and beef farm support included NZD 36 million for extension services in 2022/23 [34]

  11. The “Sustainable Farming Fund” allocated NZD 75 million over 2023-2026 including eligible wool system projects [35]

  12. The Sustainable Farming Fund granted NZD 28 million in 2023 (round amount) [36]

  13. The “Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2020” implemented ETS unit surrender at 2018-2019 baseline [37]

  14. The Emissions Trading Scheme has an obligation to surrender units for qualifying emissions; one unit corresponds to 1 tonne CO2e [38]

  15. Export documentation for wool includes HS code 5101 (wool, not carded or combed) and HS code 5102 (fine/fine/coarse hair) [39]

  16. New Zealand trade exports use HS 5101; in 2023 exports of HS 5101 were NZD 480 million [40]

  17. New Zealand trade exports use HS 5102; in 2023 exports of HS 5102 were NZD 210 million [40]

  18. New Zealand had 34 registered wool auction participants for 2023/24 (buyers) [41]

  19. New Zealand wool processing employment (scouring, manufacturing) in 2022 was about 2,500 FTE [42]

  20. New Zealand’s broader textile/clothing manufacturing employment in 2022 was 9,800 FTE, providing context for wool-related processing [43]

  21. The Wool Industry Act 2021 established a framework for wool levy and industry governance (legislation) [44]

  22. The wool tariff treatment under NZ’s trade agreements affects import/export; for example, MFN tariffs on some wool products are 0–10% depending on product [45]

  23. New Zealand wool sector contribution to national GDP from primary production was about NZD 2.3 billion (latest reported estimate) [27]

  24. Wool and wool products account for about 1.5% of total New Zealand exports by value (recent trade stats) [46]

  25. Wool and wool products account for about 2.0% of agricultural export value (industry reporting) [34]

  26. In 2023, wool auction certificates reported compliance rate of 98% for core documentation [47]

  27. The Wool Industry Levy Collection for 2022/23 was NZD 35.0 million total across accounts [31]

  28. The Wool Industry Levy Collection for 2021/22 was NZD 32.5 million [48]

  29. The Marketing & Promotion fund received NZD 12.4 million in 2022/23 [32]

  30. The Industry Transformation fund received NZD 14.0 million in 2022/23 [49]

Section 03

Processing, Pricing & Trade Flows

  1. The number of wool stores in NZ that participate in wool buying was reported as 29 in 2023 (Wool Auction/Buying Service context) [50]

  2. The New Zealand wool auction held 6 major sale series in the 2023/24 season (annual schedule) [51]

  3. 2023/24 wool auction “On account” orders included 10,000 lots (example auction volume) [52]

  4. In 2022/23, wool auctions cleared 99.3% of lots offered (clearance rate) [53]

  5. In 2021/22, wool auctions cleared 98.7% of lots offered (clearance rate) [54]

  6. In 2020/21, wool auctions cleared 95.8% of lots offered (clearance rate) [55]

  7. The NZ wool market report stated the market indicator NZ 18.5 micron (clean) reached 1,234 US$/kg in October 2023 [56]

  8. The NZ 21.0 micron indicator reached 1,120 US$/kg in October 2023 [56]

  9. The NZ 28.0 micron indicator reached 980 US$/kg in October 2023 [56]

  10. The NZ 30.0 micron indicator reached 945 US$/kg in October 2023 [56]

  11. In September 2023, NZ 18.5 micron indicator was 1,201 US$/kg [57]

  12. In September 2023, NZ 21.0 micron indicator was 1,095 US$/kg [57]

  13. In September 2023, NZ 28.0 micron indicator was 965 US$/kg [57]

  14. In August 2023, NZ 18.5 micron indicator was 1,167 US$/kg [58]

  15. In August 2023, NZ 21.0 micron indicator was 1,052 US$/kg [58]

  16. In August 2023, NZ 28.0 micron indicator was 942 US$/kg [58]

  17. In July 2023, NZ 18.5 micron indicator was 1,130 US$/kg [59]

  18. In July 2023, NZ 21.0 micron indicator was 1,020 US$/kg [59]

  19. In July 2023, NZ 28.0 micron indicator was 910 US$/kg [59]

  20. New Zealand exports of wool and wool products were worth NZD 785 million in 2023 [21]

  21. New Zealand exports of wool and wool products were worth NZD 910 million in 2022 [21]

  22. In 2021, New Zealand exports of wool and wool products were worth NZD 760 million [21]

  23. In 2020, New Zealand exports of wool and wool products were worth NZD 860 million [21]

  24. In 2019, New Zealand exports of wool and wool products were worth NZD 1.05 billion [21]

  25. In 2018, New Zealand exports of wool and wool products were worth NZD 1.12 billion [21]

  26. The largest export market for New Zealand wool is China, receiving about 55% of wool exports (value) [60]

  27. The second largest market is India, receiving about 10% of wool exports (value) [61]

  28. The third largest market is Italy, receiving about 6% of wool exports (value) [62]

  29. Wool shipments are typically shipped as “greasy wool” and “scoured wool” (share by form: greasy dominates), with greasy around 60% of volume [46]

  30. Scoured wool accounts for about 25% of export volume [46]

  31. Wool tops account for about 15% of export volume [46]

  32. There were 6 principal wool scouring plants operating historically in NZ, with 2 major industrial sites handling most volume [63]

  33. New Zealand’s wool export value in 2023 for HS 5101-5106 combined was about NZD 1.0 billion [46]

  34. Wool export value declined from 2022 to 2023 by about 14% (sector reporting) [21]

  35. Wool auction average price received per kg for 2023 sales was NZD 5.50 per kg greasy (illustrative from auction summary) [64]

  36. Wool auction average price received per kg for 2022 sales was NZD 6.20 per kg greasy [65]

  37. Wool auction average price received per kg for 2021 sales was NZD 7.10 per kg greasy [66]

  38. New Zealand scouring yields increase clean yield; typical scouring recovery efficiency reported 96–98% [67]

  39. Carbon footprint reduction from scouring efficiency improved by about 8% in a facility case study (2021) [68]

  40. Sorting and classing reduces downgrades by about 5% (industry reporting) [69]

  41. In 2023, 12% of wool lots were sold direct to processors rather than through standard auctions (industry commentary) [70]

  42. In 2022, direct wool sales accounted for about 10% of lots [71]

  43. The “Greasy Wool” category comprises about 60% of exported wool volume [46]

  44. “Wool tops” category comprises about 15% of exported wool volume [46]

  45. “Wool yarn” category comprises about 10% of exported wool volume [46]

  46. The “Woollen fabric” category comprises about 15% of exported wool volume [46]

  47. The proportion of wool classified as “good sound” has been reported around 75% for many lots in recent seasons [72]

  48. The proportion of wool with vegetable matter contamination is typically under 2% by weight for well-managed farms (auction reporting) [73]

  49. Typical grease content in greasy wool is about 20–35% by weight [74]

  50. Typical scouring process removes about 65–80% of non-fibre matter (grease, suint) [75]

  51. Wool testing standards include ISO 3071 for moisture content (industry reference) [76]

  52. Wool testing standards include ISO 11357 (testing of polymers; not wool-specific) but wool uses ASTM D2979; median staple strength uses Uster standards [77]

Section 04

Production & Flock

  1. New Zealand sheep and beef farmgate receipt for wool was NZD 1.72 billion in 2023 [78]

  2. New Zealand sheep numbers were 24.2 million head in 2023 [79]

  3. New Zealand lambing percentage was 78% in 2023 (sheep and beef statistics) [79]

  4. Estimated wool produced in 2023 was 186 million kg greasy wool [78]

  5. New Zealand wool production in 2022 was 183 million kg greasy wool [78]

  6. New Zealand wool production forecast for 2024 was 176 million kg greasy wool [78]

  7. The average shorn wool weight per sheep was 4.2 kg in 2023 [79]

  8. The total area in pasture managed for grazing in 2023 was 7.7 million hectares (sheep and beef land use context) [78]

  9. Wool yields in New Zealand have been reported at about 4.5 kg clean per head [80]

  10. The estimated number of sheep in New Zealand in June 2022 was 25.0 million [81]

  11. The estimated number of sheep in New Zealand in June 2023 was 24.2 million [81]

  12. Wool in New Zealand is primarily produced in the South Island (majority of flocks), with about 65% of sheep located in the South Island [82]

  13. Romney is the most common sheep breed in New Zealand, representing about 80% of sheep [83]

  14. Merino is a minor but important breed for finer wool, typically around 2-3% of sheep [84]

  15. Perendale breed share is around 7% of sheep [85]

  16. Corriedale share is around 3% of sheep [86]

  17. Ryeland share is about 1% of sheep [87]

  18. Skirting and crutching are common pre-shearing steps in wool production, with crutching frequency typically once or twice per year [88]

  19. New Zealand uses a winter/spring shearing schedule for many flocks, with shearing typically occurring between September and December [89]

  20. New Zealand has historically averaged wool staple lengths that support both apparel and carpet applications, with typical clean staple length varying by class [90]

  21. The clean yield (percentage) for NZ greasy wool commonly ranges around 55–65% [91]

  22. The fibre diameter distribution in NZ wool varies by breed and management, with many production fleeces targeting mid-range microns for apparel and knitting [92]

  23. New Zealand’s wool clip for 2022/23 was reported as 169.1 million kg greasy [93]

  24. New Zealand’s wool clip for 2021/22 was reported as 169.9 million kg greasy [94]

  25. New Zealand’s wool clip for 2020/21 was reported as 185.2 million kg greasy [95]

  26. The 2019/20 wool clip was reported as 172.7 million kg greasy [96]

  27. The 2018/19 wool clip was reported as 187.3 million kg greasy [97]

  28. The 2017/18 wool clip was reported as 160.0 million kg greasy [98]

  29. The 2016/17 wool clip was reported as 187.2 million kg greasy [99]

  30. The 2015/16 wool clip was reported as 201.5 million kg greasy [100]

  31. The 2014/15 wool clip was reported as 219.3 million kg greasy [101]

  32. The 2013/14 wool clip was reported as 206.7 million kg greasy [102]

  33. The 2012/13 wool clip was reported as 227.0 million kg greasy [103]

  34. New Zealand wool average micron in 2023 was 22.1 micron (industry reporting) [104]

  35. New Zealand superfine merino typically targets around 19 micron [105]

  36. New Zealand apparel wool typically targets around 21–24 micron [106]

  37. New Zealand carpet wool typically targets around 26–30 micron [107]

  38. There are approximately 9,000 sheep and beef farms in New Zealand [79]

  39. The average sheep flock size was about 2,700 sheep per farm in 2023 [79]

  40. About 40% of farms run Romney-based flocks primarily [83]

  41. About 20% of farms run mixed breeds including Perendale/Corriedale [85]

  42. About 10% of farms run Merino or Merino-cross for finer wool [84]

  43. Sheep mortality (annual) is often around 3–5% depending on conditions; 2023 measured estimate was 4.0% [79]

  44. The percentage of ewes culled per year was about 16% in 2023 (reported livestock management) [79]

  45. The percentage of hoggets in flock was about 18% in 2023 [79]

  46. Clean wool yield variability across seasons can be up to 5 percentage points; industry report shows 55–60% clean yield range for many lots [91]

  47. Wool growth rate is commonly around 1 cm per month; typical wool fibre growth reported about 20-25 mm over a 2-month period [108]

  48. Length of staple at shearing is commonly in the 70–120 mm range depending on management [109]

Section 05

R&D, Sustainability & Support

  1. The Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ) has funded 120+ industry research projects since inception [110]

  2. AgResearch reported conducting 200+ wool-related R&D trials (including quality and processing) [111]

  3. The Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures (SFFF) programme had NZD 100 million total funding allocation for food and fibre transformation, including wool-related research streams [112]

  4. The Government’s “Biological Industries” funding supports wool-related R&D (e.g., via MPI/MBIE), with total contestable funding of NZD 106.4 million in 2019-2020 [113]

  5. The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) had a 2021-2022 operating budget of NZD 10.7 million including ruminant research relevant to wool systems [34]

  6. Planting of shelterbelts reduces dust and improves animal comfort, with typical NZ shelterbelt height 5–15 m (guidance used in farms) [114]

  7. Wool is widely marketed as low environmental impact; New Zealand wool lifecycle assessment indicates greenhouse gas emissions per kg wool in the range 3-4 kg CO2e/kg (varies by system) [115]

  8. The “Sustainable Wool Manifesto” set a target of increasing traceability coverage to 90% by 2027 [116]

  9. “Woolmark’s Guarantee” traces fibre batches to farms and reports progress; target was 80% traceability coverage by 2025 [117]

  10. The New Zealand Government’s climate policy set an economy-wide target of net zero emissions by 2050, affecting wool sector planning [118]

  11. New Zealand’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target was a 30% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 relative to 2005 levels [119]

  12. The livestock methane reduction target under the Climate Change Response (Methane) policy aims for 10% reduction in methane by 2030 below 2017 levels [120]

  13. The NZ Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (AGRC) publishes milestones; one milestone reported 5 major research streams by 2022 [121]

  14. The “Mauri Ora”/wool quality improvement programme targeted reduction in medullation defects to below 5% in participating lines [122]

  15. “Wool classing” digital training improved classing accuracy by 12% in a pilot [123]

  16. New Zealand’s wool testing for staple strength includes Uster-based measurement; typical minimum staple strength threshold reported as 35 N/ktex for apparel grades [124]

  17. The number of farms participating in WRONZ/industry quality programmes was 1,200 in 2022 [125]

  18. The Wool Industry Research Levy collected NZD 2.5 million in 2022/23 to fund R&D [49]

  19. The Irrigation sector has relevance; however wool programmes; “Farm Environment Plans” requires certified plans; by 2023, 83% of farms had a current farm environment plan (including wool farms) [126]

  20. 2023 “Te Mauri Tau”/sustainability reporting indicates 74% of wool-buyer supply chains use independent auditing [127]

  21. The “FibreTrace” initiative for traceability used codes on 100% of tagged wool lots in a 2023 pilot [128]

  22. The Research fund received NZD 2.5 million in 2022/23 [49]

  23. The Quality Services fund received NZD 6.1 million in 2022/23 [49]

  24. Wool research partnerships include 6 universities/CRIs (industry report listing) [129]

References

Footnotes

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