Figures from the Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee showed in 2018-19 wool is 305 million kilograms (mkg)  greasy, down by 10.8 per cent from 2017-18.

The drop is due to an expected reduction in both the number of sheep shorn and the average annual wool cut per head, a result of the tough seasonal conditions.

The expected high sheep slaughter towards the end of September would reduce the number of sheep shorn by 6.6 per cent to 71.7 million head.

There is also a 4.4 per cent reduction in annual average cut per head to 4.25 kilogram.

There is continued difficult seasonal conditions across many of the major wool producing regions of the country, although the dry conditions in most of the country was somewhat tempered by better seasonal conditions in the south-east of South Australia, the midlands of Tasmania, western Victoria, and parts of Western Australia.

“Tough seasonal conditions have continued in many regions and as the wool textile industry is monitoring the situation closely,” said Committee Chairman, Russell Pattinson.

The committee decided to bring the seasonal forecast forward this year.

“It was important to provide updated information to the market… for the remainder of the current season,”  Mr Pattinson said.

“The season continues to be very difficult through most of NSW and Queensland, northern Victoria and east Gippsland, northern South Australia and parts of southern Western Australia,” Mr Pattinson said

In these regions, both the number of sheep shorn and the annual average cut per head are expected to decline considerably.

Shorn wool production in NSW is expected to decline by 20 per cent to 100 mkg and by 14 per cent in Queensland to 7.1 mkg compared to the 2017-18 season.

Rain in October and early November has slightly improved the outlook for wool production in parts of the country.

For other wool producing areas, the situation has been more positive with the southeast of South Australia, western Victoria, Tasmania and parts of Western Australia having better seasons that other parts of the country.

Shorn wool production is expected to fall by amounts varying between 0.3 per cent in Tasmania and 8.0 per cent in South Australia.