Wool in Western Australia research, development and extension

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1999

Journal Title

Australasian Agribusiness Review

ISSN

1442-6951

Keywords

Wool, Western Australia, Wool industry, Wool outlook (W.A.), Wool research, Sheep

Disciplines

Agribusiness | Agricultural and Resource Economics | Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Education | Agricultural Science | Natural Resource Economics | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Sheep and Goat Science

Abstract

The wool industry in Western Australia, as in other parts of Australia, has experienced a prolonged downturn. Wool specialists have experienced negative farm business profit in most years of the 1990s. Sheep numbers have declined and the enterprise mix on many farms has shifted away from wool.

In this paper the wool industry R,D&E 1 response in Western Australia is discussed. In particular, the relative merits of investing in on-farm productivity and off-farm processing and promotion are reviewed. Conclusions are drawn about future research directions.

The wool industry in Western Australia has increased its reliance on taxpayers funds. Hence, R,D&E cannot focus solely on the degree to which farmers or others in the marketing chain mainly will benefit. Instead R,D&E needs to be directed to areas in which farmers or others in the supply chain will under-invest regarding the level of public benefits, and where the level of public benefit represents an attractive social return.

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