NSA welcomes wool recovery as the fleece starts to pay its way

National Sheep Association (NSA) welcomes the strong start to the 2026 wool selling season and believes the 2026 clip could be the one where a fleece pays for its own shearing.

British Wool reports an average auction price of £1.70/kg across its first four sales, 70p/kg higher than at the same point last year. It has sold 3,000t of new season wool, with clearances in the last three sales close to 90%.

Auction prices are not farm payments, but the recovery is reaching farm businesses. British Wool's average producer payment rose from 40p/kg for the 2024 clip to 68p/kg for the 2025 clip, the highest level in 10 years. Its outlook for the 2026 clip is a further 25-30p/kg, with several core types potentially paying more than £1/kg.

Every tonne of wool leaving the farm was worth £400 two seasons ago and £680 last season. On British Wool's outlook it could be worth £930-£980 this season. With the contractor guide rate for shearing ewes at £1.93/head, a 2.5kg fleece fell short of covering the job at 68p/kg. At £1/kg, it covers it with 57p to spare.

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker says: "This is welcome news. Sheep farmers have been dealing with bluetongue and wildfires, due to the extreme heat. For many flocks, shearing has been an essential welfare job done at a loss. Two seasons ago the average payment was 40p/kg. There is now a real prospect of £1/kg for core types. Wool is natural, renewable, biodegradable and hard wearing. It is good to see the market starting to value it properly."

Mr Stocker continues: "Hill and mountain wools still have ground to make up, and this is where the recovery most needs to reach. NSA has said since April that grazing sheep are part of the defence against moorland wildfires. Every income stream that helps keep upland flocks’ viable helps keep them on the hill."

Mr Stocker adds: "The recovery now needs to be sustained. NSA encourages anyone with wool still on farm to get it to a British Wool or Ulster Wool depot or drop-off point. Every manufacturer, retailer and shopper choosing British wool helps keep this going."