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| Wed, 19th Aug 2020 16:12:00 |
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Coronavirus: What the world tourism crisis means for Welsh wool |
The global coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a "disastrous" fall in demand for the fleeces of mountain sheep, according to British Wool.
Thanks to a hill-dwelling lifestyle, Welsh sheep have a coarser fleece, which tends to be used in carpets.
The closure of large hotels and cruise liners - which routinely invest in new carpets - has hit producers, said John Davies, a British Wool board member.
"Everything came to a stop in February and it's caused real issues," he said.
Farming union NFU Cymru warned the price paid for fleeces had collapsed and called for its use to be prioritised in public buildings and government-backed insulation schemes.
The union has now written to the housing minister asking for support measures to be put in place.
The situation has also sparked an online petition addressed to each of the UK nation's governments demanding the use of British Wool products in public projects.
Mr Davies, who is the Welsh southern regional board member for British Wool - the body owned by UK sheep farmers to promote wool - said the situation was "disastrous".
"We sell around 25% of what we produce to China and that market was obviously closed off, and then everywhere shut down here too."
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