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by Christopher Cull

June 2001

RIRDC Publication No 01/093
RIRDC Project No MMS-2A

Summary

Toward an Industry Vision

Without a single organisation representing the whole Australian mohair industry (and gaining its support) there is no mechanism in place to draft an all-embracing Vision Statement or compiling an industry endorsed business plan.

In October 2000 Mohair Australia Limited adopted a new vision statement of its own aimed at directing policy formulation and operational activities of the organisation ...

Mohair Australia.s overriding responsibility is to help create conditions that instil confidence in the stability and profitability of the Australian Angora/Mohair industry sufficient to ensure the continued participation of existing producers and to attract new participants.

The organisation stopped short of setting production objectives that might have been the first step in the formulation of a relevant industry vision statement. It is to be hoped that at some future time Mohair Australia will take the responsibility of drafting an industry plan and formulating industry- wide objectives with the intention of seeking wider industry support for the implied vision.

This project gives a guide to some of the issues that such a plan will need to address as it is based on a combination of interviews and the drawing together of recently published papers and documents, and as such is an attempt to obtain the views of a wide range of people from the mohair community.

Based on information so collected a vision for the Australian Mohair Industry would include the following elements:

• A production goal of one million kilos (a challenging but achievable objective)
• A plan to improve the industry's image so that it is more readily accepted as a legitimate, viable fibre production option for new and existing producers
• Commitment to continued genetic improvement driven by strong commercial demand for herd- improving animals
• Recognition of the need for strong industry leadership focussed on fostering the commercial production of mohair
• The development of strong alliances with other fibre-producing organisations such as Woolmark and Mohair South Africa.
These objectives might be classed as short to medium term, but being well within the industry's capacity to achieve given leadership, determination and real commitment.
 
• Long-term considerations might include the more difficult tasks of being able to:
• Offer a 'new world' for the South African industry that may be looking to relocate as political instability increases in their country
• Influence price and price stability at the international level,
• Expand local processing and value-adding activity, and
• Increase consumer demand through eduction and the production of appealing mohair products


Such long-term objectives are rarely achieved in industries with far greater resources than this one and may be judged as 'day dreaming' for mohair. Nevertheless, the promotion of Australia for South African farmers wishing to relocate may be an objective worth considering. There may also be niche opportunities such as those pursued by Elite Fibres and Australian Fibre Spinners in the processing sector, but generally the desirable long-term outcomes will be difficult to influence.
 

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Last updated: 18 July 2001
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