MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Concerns about FI wool Marketing.

Views of Falkland Islands Wool Marketing on Coring an Lotting Wool in FI

Falkland Islands Wool Marketing has expressed serious concerns over current discussions with regard to the coring and lotting of wool in the Falklands. Bill Holdsworth, Managing Director of D.B Holdsworth Ltd has said that he strongly believes the proposal is not in the best interests of farmers in the Islands generally. There were felt to be three main areas of concern. Firstly, assuming coring can be undertaken accurately, from an administrative point of view are the facilities in the Islands first class, and-or satisfactory for the job? Secondly he asks "who will do the lotting and put the correct wools together to form saleable lots and will money be lost because this does not happen to maximise the returns?" And thirdly "Will quality claims reduce income and-or reduce confidence in the use of Falkland wool because incompatible wools are lotted together?" Bill tells that the company has worked hard to develop a marketing company which he believes successfully supports the Falklands wool industry, by taking Falkland wool on a personal basis to users throughout the world. John Milne of Falkland Islands Wool Marketing has said in a letter that the company is not in agreement with those who may wish to arrange for the coring and test results of their wools whilst in the Islands. John points out the whilst pre shipment lotting may provide earlier information, the company believes that it will certainly increase the cost of handling the wool, as in effect the wool will have to be lotted twice. He says that small mistakes in the lotting process would be likely to have major cost implications, damage product reputation and customer relationships. Importantly it is also stated that if the relationship changes so fundamentally that Falkland Islands Wool Marketing become the outright buyers of the wool, and not the selling party for the farmer they would only buy the lots required. The company has assured its continuing support to the Islands.

Visitor Leaves Islands.

Arthur Donahoe QC Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association left the Falklands on the outbound Tri