Following the publication of the feasibility study on the Irish wool sector, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has called for the immediate setup of an all-island wool council.

The organisation is calling on Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and his Department to immediately convene a meeting of all stakeholders in the woollen industry to establish the council.

Speaking on the issue, INHFA vice-president Pheilim Molloy outlined how one of the key recommendations in the report was the establishment of a wool council to help develop an Irish-grown wool brand.

This, he said, is something the INHFA supports and is certain that farmers throughout the country will back, on the understanding that it can deliver an improved price for their wool.

Substantial volume

"There are almost 6m sheep which can provide a substantial volume of wool.

"This wool can be utilised in many different ways, such as bed clothing and clothing including personal safety clothing, insulation, carpets, furniture coverings, natural air filtration, composting and pelleting as a natural fertiliser.

"In addition to these, lanolin, which is used extensively in the cosmetics industry, is a very valuable by-product of the wool scouring process," he said.

With regard to further research and critical infrastructure, Molloy stressed the "need for third level institutions to be involved in ongoing research" so that other products can be identified which will further strengthen the demand and price for wool.

"Beyond this, we also need to see the establishment of a wool scouring facility within the island of Ireland as soon as possible, so that the true value of wool can be achieved," he said.

Wool market

As outlined in the report, he said, market returns for wool have been impacted by a highly fragmented market, with individual farmers mainly selling raw wool directly to domestic and large UK-based wool merchants with operations in Ireland.

"The handling and presentation of wool is an issue that needs to be addressed and we welcome the recommendation that training courses be provided for this purpose," he added.

In concluding, Molloy pointed to the recent announcement by Minister McConalogue to include Northern Ireland in the application for protected geographical indication (PGI) status for Irish grass-fed beef.

This, he maintained, illustrates how farmers across the island can benefit from working together and that an all-island council can play a critical role in delivering better market returns for wool across the country.