Good demand sees mohair indicator climb 4%

The second mohair sale of the summer season saw positive demand, and combined with the weaker rand, the market gained 4% on the previous sale to close at R379,70/kg. The sale saw 192 104kg on offer, with a sales clearance of 97% achieved.

The offering consisted of goodquality mohair, with individual clips achieving excellent results. Buyers competed actively for the good-quality mohair, which reflected the current demand for the fibre, according to Mohair South Africa (Mohair SA).

A highest price of R800,30/kg was paid for a 23-micron bale of kid mohair. Compared with the previous sale, prices were: kid mohair up 3%; young mohair goat up 3%; fine adult mohair up 5%; and strong adult mohair up 4%.

“The market continued to perform and improve on the good levels of the first sale despite being exceptionally big – twice the size of the first sale,” said Pierre van der Vyver, general manager of the House of Fibre. “All qualities, from 22 to 36 microns, were well represented, but strong adults and long summer kids were noticeably absent.”

Demand increased for 25 microns and finer mohair, and 31 microns and stronger mohair. Twenty-six microns to 30 microns battled to maintain the levels of the first sale, but the top clip averaged nearly R470/kg.

“The next sale will have 150 000kg on offer. We hope to maintain the current price level on average, but there will be excellent individual bales on offer,” Van der Vyver said.

The OVK auction produced the highest overall bin price of R782/Ȳkg. The producers in the lot were LPG Reynolds, Rietfontein Reds, AJ de Jager and New Year’s Drift Enterprises, according to mohair manager Gerrit van Heerden.

“We also sold a kid bale from the clip of DH Schoeman from De Rust for R749,50/Ȳkg. This was followed by WC Strydom from Willowmore who sold a kid bale for R760/kg.

The highest overall price at the auction was also achieved by Strydom for an outstanding bale of BSFFK of 23 microns with good length, style and character, which sold for R800,30/kg. The buyer was VBC.”

Mohair SA reported that some US brands had not come back to using mohair at all in their collections, or not using the same volumes as before, since senior managers, directors and company owners were reluctant to include mohair in their collections due to the risk of backlash from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

The South African mohair industry currently has six buyers purchasing mohair on the 14 official mohair auctions. Two of the buyers have the capability to further beneficiate mohair in South Africa by processing and spinning it into mohair tops and mohair yarns. They contract process and spin for some other buyers as well. –

FW ARCHIVE There was strong competition among buyers at the latest mohair sale.