MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Standard Wool Chile active in Magallanes.

Standard Wool Chile is active in the Magallanes Region wool market in spite of the recent blaze which completely destroyed its processing plant in Punta Arenas.

Jose Marin, a Magallanes influential farmer said that last week several important wool sales were reported in Punta Arenas with Standard Wool Chile playing a leading role as one of the main buyers in open competition with Chinese companies.

Apparently Mr. Marin farm's clip, (378,523 kilos) mostly Merino and Merino cross, was finally purchased by Standard Wool Chile for which it paid between 1,80 and 2,50 US dollars the kilo of greasy wool at the farm.

Chinese companies purchased clean wool from two farms paying between 3,15 and 3,42 US dollars per kilo.

"Standard Wool policy to keep operating is a great relief for Magallanes farmers, plus the fact they've promised to rebuild the processing plant in twelve months", highlighted Mr. Marín who also pointed out to the fact that the company is prepared to compete with strong Chinese companies.

According to Mr. Marin, Standard Wool Chile has arranged with processing plants in Uruguay to have the stocked greasy wool and the new lots from the current clip shipped to Montevideo for combing.

This apparently was confirmed to Mr. Marin by Standard Wool Chile sources and the latest newsletter from the Uruguayan chapter of the International Wool Organization, the Uruguayan Wool Secretariat.

Mr. Marin also underlined that Merino and Merino crosses have well adapted to Magallanes topography and "wool prices are far more interesting than those of Corriedale".