Wool bodies not to set targets for adopting mulesing alternatives

15 Feb '11

2 min read

While not giving up to the persuasions by the US retailers, the Australian wool industry bodies have decided not to set any targets for implementation of surgical mulesing alternatives.

A majority of the wool industry leaders from Australia, a few days back, accepted the request made by the US based National Retail Federation (NRF) for assuring adoption of alternatives of surgical mulesing by 2013.

The recently signed pact came about some seven months after the Australian wool industry's decision in July 2010, to collect reactions on a position paper on mulesing presented by NRF.

The NRF invited the industry groups from Australia to submit a public report by September 2010 incorporating a plan with assessable targets to realize the 2013 goal.

However, Don Hamblin, Chairman of the Wool Producers recently revealed that, the NRF letter did not set any target for adoption of alternatives of mulesing by 2013.

He said that, it was not possible for them to set any significant targets, as there was no legal provision to induce this change and it is only the market which can bring this change.

The letter read that, the industry had spent around $25 million in a quest to find feasible mulesing, while the wool growers and breeders were carrying out experiments in a bid to fulfil the consumer's demand, he added.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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