欧盟、美国和中国对羊毛的需求持续增长

Wool demand is continuing to grow in EU, US & China

The demand for wool is continuing to grow in major international markets for imported clothing like the EU and the US. The demand is forecast to grow more strongly in China—the world's largest producer and exporter of woollen clothing and textiles. Increasing domestic consumption of luxury woollen textiles is also a factor pushing wool demand in China.

The continuing growth in wool demand has led to increase in the price of wool in Australian dollars since 2014, Senior ABARES economist Dr Caroline Gunning-Trant said in her analysis presented at ABARES Outlook 2017.

"In the two years since early January 2015, prices have risen by about 35 per cent," Gunning-Trant said. "The Australian Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) wool price is forecast to rise by 8 per cent in 2016–17 to around 1,360 c/kg."

The upward trend in prices reflects the constrained supply of apparel wool—given lower flock numbers—and firm demand, particularly for fine wool.

According to Gunning-Trant, wool exports are forecast to rise by 4 per cent and reach 442,000 tonnes in 2017–18, as the expanding national flock results in further increases to the number of sheep shorn.

译文如下：

欧盟、美国和中国对羊毛的需求持续增长

欧盟和美国等国际市场对羊毛的需求持续增长，而中国作为全球最大的毛料服装和纺织品生产国和出口国，其对羊毛的需求更甚。其中增加国内对奢侈羊毛纺织品的消费也是推动中国羊毛需求的一个因素。

澳大利亚农业资源经济及科学局（ABARES）高级经济学家Caroline Gunning-Trant博士表示，自2014年以来，由于羊毛需求的持续增长，使得羊毛价格一路飙升。

Gunning-Trant说，自2015年1月初以来的两年里,价格上升了约35%。澳大利亚羊毛价格指数AWEX EMI预计羊毛价格将在2016-17年上升8%。

价格的上升趋势反映了消费者对于羊毛的需求，特别是对于细羊毛。

Gunning-Trant称，随着大众对于羊毛需求的激增，2017-18年度羊毛出口量预计将增长4%至44.2万吨。

(编译：杨朝霞)