Global Mohair Pricing
Raw Mohair is a global commodity product with the primary centre for monthly official auctions in South Africa under the auspices of Mohair South Africa. The amounts up for auction vary across the seasons but are typically well in excess of 100 metric tonnes per month. Although there are a number of registered buyers the vast majority of mohair is purchased by just 2 or 3 main buying houses. Prices fluctuate depending on the season and additional uncertainty is added due to the auctions being held in South African Rand which can be quite volatile compared to currencies like the Dollar, Euro or GB Pound.
Detailed sales reports are published on the web after each sale listing the quantities sold and prices achieved. To give an idea of the seasonal fluctuations and the variation over time the chart below shows the mid-point pricing for each grade (less taxes and deductions and adjusted for the exchange rate) over the past decade.
The Responsible Mohair Standard was introduced by Textile Exchange as a global standard designed to improve standards of livestock management and manage the supply chain for Mohair. It has been widely adopted by many of the major commercial breeders and most of the major processors. It involves certification by third party certification agencies which makes it too cumbersome and expensive for the small breeders in the UK given the number of animals they manage and the low volumes of mohair they produce. However, it does indicate the lengths to which the mohair/angora goat industry worldwide is working to build the image of mohair production as a responsible, sustainable and ethical operation.
For a more detailed introduction to the Responsible Mohair Standard click here.