Crossbred supply and price in 2025-26
The 2025-26 season was a good one generally for wool with prices up by 30-40% (season averages) for the AWEX MPGs across the board in Australian dollar terms, and in US dollar terms merinos up 40-50% and crossbred by up to 70%. Following on from last week’s article which looked at merino price and supply, […]
2025-26 merino prices and volumes
The 2025-26 season has been one of those seasons where wool prices staged a strong rising price cycle, against a backdrop of a falling merino supply. As usual the price changes were not uniform across all micron categories. This article takes a look at merino price and supply this season, with a look at price […]
Changing quality in the Australian wool clip
The wool industry has the habit of stewing in a state of angst over its lost position as a major fibre. This has arguably been going on since the Middle Ages, certainly since the 18th century when Indian cotton began to be imported into Europe, so perhaps it is time to accept the present, look […]
Staple length discounts
With the combination of high wool prices, high sheep meat prices and a rebound in skin prices, interest in calculating the best value pathway (shear or sell in the wool) when selling sheep has increased. This article takes a look at the effect of staple length on the value of merino fleece. While fibre diameter […]
Crossbred wool prices
Crossbred wool prices have endured a torrid time since 2020. Unlike merino, crossbred prices did not bounce back strongly in 2021 following the initial impact of the pandemic, instead remaining at depressed levels. In happier news this season prices have rebounded, which is what this article looks at. After enjoying a good run in terms […]
Ultrafine wool update
It is a year since Mecardo last looked at the very fine edge of the merino micron distribution in terms of price and volume. Quite a lot has changed in the greasy wool market since mid-2025, and no doubt it will continue to change, so it seems timely for an update on ultrafine wool. While […]
International sheep meat supply and lamb price
Sheep meat prices (a weighted average of lamb and mutton) in 2026 are tracking at their best levels in deflated terms at least since 1980, even better in deflated US dollar terms. With this in mind, this article takes a look at the bigger picture background to the Australian sheep meat market. In terms of […]
What could wool production look like in the coming years?
A Mecardo reader asked for wool production projections in 2028, all things being equal. That last phrase is problematic, as all things are not stable in the world even before considering seasonal conditions. In the spirit of accepting a challenge this article looks at some recent trends in the Australian merino production and uses them […]
An update on oil and fibre prices
The continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and consequent fluctuation of oil prices (at elevated levels compared to 2025) has maintained the disruption to parts of the economy dependent on oil and energy prices. With two months of the Middle East conflict behind us this article takes another look at the impact on apparel […]
Merino RWS Premiums
In March Mecardo looked at how RWS premiums for crossbred wool had revived from their low levels of 2023-24. Given the magnitude of the rise in merino prices this season it is timely to check how RWS premiums are tracking for merino wool. Last July, Mecardo looked at RWS premiums for merino and crossbred wool […]
Wine, fine merino wool and cashmere prices
Crossbred and then merino prices have staged strong recoveries during the past 18 months. In 2025 international trading patterns were thrown into uncertainty by US tariffs, and in 2026 the uncertainty has been magnified by conflict in the Middle East. It seems timely to see how other luxury commodities are faring amongst this economic flux. […]
A look at cyclical price peaks in the merino market
Mecardo last looked at the extent of rising price cycles in 2018, when prices were high for all qualities of wool. Given the rapid change in wool prices this season it is time to look at the recent price rises and how they stack up against history. Geo-politics and economics are dominating the news at […]