'Good News in Wool' seminar planned for New Delhi

27/5/97

The trade and business relationship between Western Australian wool growers and the Indian textile market will be further developed by the staging of the 'Good News in Wool' seminar in New Delhi next month.

Primary Industry Minister Monty House said his Wool Strategy Group was co-sponsoring the event with the International Wool Secretariat.

Mr House said WA had developed a sound relationship with the Indian textile markets after he and a delegation of WA wool producers and buyers attended the Indian Wool Mills Federation annual general meeting last year.

He said there had also been a number of visits by Indian wool industry leaders to WA in 1995 to look first hand at our wool industry.

"India is now a very important market to WA as we supply more than 40 per cent of the Australian fine wool which they import," Mr House said.

"Our share of this market has increased because of the good relationship I and the Wool Strategy Group have developed with the Indian wool industry and I hope events such as 'Good News in Wool' will help further develop this trade.

"The 'Good News in Wool' seminar will be attended by leaders from throughout India's wool textile industry who will be presented with information about WA wool."

The seminar is being held in conjunction with Wool Meat 97, a leading trade show which attracts about 2,000 people.

Wool Strategy Group chairman Phil Gardiner, Agriculture Western Australia Wool Program manager Rob Kelly and five producers will attend the seminar on June 29 in New Delhi.

"While in India the WA delegation will also visit the Jayashree Mill, which has consignments from the Darkan and the Merino Society to further improve their understanding of India's processing industry needs," Mr House said.

"The group will also conduct a tour of other mills to investigate WA wool processing performance improvements as a follow up to the September 1996 delegation visit."

Mr House today also welcomed the cut to the wool import tariff by the India Government.

He said WA producers would benefit more than anyone else from the decision to drop the import duty on raw apparel wool by five per cent and on wool tops by 10 per cent.

"The Wool Strategy Group delegation will be visiting India at an ideal time with the Indian Government's welcome decision," the Minister said.

Media contact: Nicole Trigwell (08) 9481 2044