Higher prices spur growers to eliminate contamination

Dewavrin Freres (Pty.) Ltd. (ADF), Port Elizabeth, South Africa, expressed optimism about the stability of grease mohair prices in rand terms during the South African summer selling season. A specialist mohair buyer with a focus on good quality and style, ADF mainly supplies Filature Francaise de Mohair, Peronne, France, part of the Dewavrin Group of France. Recent buying activities are recorded. The company encourages high standards of clip preparation at producer level by addressing mohair farmers' days and supporting production-promotion campaigns. ADF supports the "Camdeboo" producers who have strict production and classing standards, and also the "Fibre Care" and "Cape Quality Management" schemes. Improved prices had raised producers' awareness of factors such as contamination. Use of nylon packs, eliminating polypropylene contamination, was welcomed and recommended. Declining mohair production was disturbing despite price increases. Texan mohair, blended with South African mohair, and sold as Cape mohair could also damage the South African image.