Representative from the Chinese wool industry last week enjoyed a visit to Wales during which they visited a Welsh hill farm to see Welsh sheep in their natural environment and also visited the Wool Testing Authority Europe Ltd laboratory at Caernarfon.
The first stop on the delegations Welsh tour was a visit to the Wool Testing Authority Europe Ltd (WTAE) laboratory where Managing Director Tim Parkes explained the detailed and extensive testing services the lab offers.
“Chinese wool buyers and processors are well aware of the differences in wool types across the world and understand fully that two of the critical factors in any buying and processing decision are the micron and colour of the wool. These dictate use and yield.
“WTAE offers full confidence to the Chinese wool trade that the wool shipments they purchase have been sampled to internationally recognised standards and are tested using the same methods and quality controls as those used in other principal wool testing laboratories across the world.”
Delegate Zhao, Chun Xiang of the China SDIC International Trade Nanjing Co, said that with it normally taking at least one month for wool shipments to reach China it was important for trading companies to understand the process and methods of testing wool and know the contents of testing certificates. “The visit to WTAE allowed us the opportunity to have a close look at the testing process and exchange some ideas with the staff and management team there.”
Following the visit to WTAE the Chinese group then travelled to Nant Gwynant to visit the farm of Bedwyr Jones, the British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) Board member for North Wales.
Mr Jones runs 1600 Welsh Mountain Hill ewes on his 3000 acre farm as well as farming a further 200 acres on Anglesey which carries 400 New Zealand Romney cross ewes. Up to 70 rams a year are sold at Mr Jones’ on-farm ram sale each autumn, with stock sold across Wales and further afield.
Mr Jones said it was a pleasure to show the Chinese delegation his farming enterprise and to discuss the factors affecting wool production here in the UK and the quality of the wool produced from his farm. “The Chinese market is undoubtedly the most important one for UK wool producers and we must engage with it whenever we can. This visit is an ideal opportunity to show Chinese manufacturers just how we produce our wool and the high levels of skill employed at every level of the wool supply chain here in the UK.”
As well as a tour of the farm the delegates also had the chance to see Mr Jones shear a few of his sheep, including a Welsh Mountain, a Romney and a crossbred, giving them the opportunity to learn more about the breeds and the wool they produce.
BWMB Chief Executive Officer Ian Hartley said the farm visit had been a great success and helped demonstrate the care taken at all levels of the British wool supply chain from the farm onwards. “About 30% of British wool now finds its way to China, so visits like this are important. The opportunity to show the Chinese delegation British sheep in their natural environment on a Welsh Hill farm was an excellent way to showcase the care and pride taken by British farmers.”
