Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) has rolled out Woolcheque, a new web-based program that is set to change the way wool producers in that country go about setting their reserve prices and developing their marketing strategies. It is simple and easy to use and the woolgrower is always in control.
Woolcheque is a wool-pricing tool that allows producers to quickly price lots against daily market values, as well as view similar lots sold at auction to verify the price estimates. The site explains different wool characteristics, shows historical trends and offers tips that may be useful to wool-growing enterprises.
To use this site, growers simply collect the needed information and complete worksheets provided on the site. Growers can then calculate their wool price by choosing the daily or historical-price period.
Once the prices have been calculated, there are a variety of tools available for the grower to further analyze their clip.
Those include:
AWEX-ID is utilized on the site for the appraisal and description of the non-measured characteristics of wool. A price estimate is determined by combining the AWEX-ID with the objective measurements (test results).
?U.S. growers and warehousemen can use this site to check market prices for specific lots of wool in Australia,? says Bob Padula, American Sheep Industry Association wool quality consultant. ?Naturally there are some differences, but at least it gives the growers a basis by which to determine their wool?s price.?
Growers are able to enter their precise objective measurements and AWEX-ID to receive a price relative to the Australian market, instead of receiving an average of four to eight styles of wool within the weekly reported micron-price guides. The benefit of the AXEX-ID provides more of an insight to the true value of the individual lot of wool.
?Although this site has more benefits for growers in Australia because they have more wool data, history and the ability to search for their own sale lots within the AWEX market-reporting system, it at least gives us some sort of a price mechanism,? says Padula. ?Not only can growers determine the price of their fleeces, but they can also see prices for off-sorts, as well for a total wool-clip value.?
For more information, visit www.woolcheque.com.au.