South African raw wool buyers will not be allowed to export wool to China from Wednesday due to the spread of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in the country, Cape Wools says.
"The department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries has announced that as from 18 August it will no longer issue clearing certificates pertaining to RVF for the exportation of raw wool and mohair to China," Cape Wools spokeswoman Ona Viljoen said on Tuesday.
The department had been forced to take the decision since it had become "ethically impossible" to continue certifying that the wool came from RVF free areas, as required by the Chinese veterinary authority.
China is the only country which requires this certification.
Last year the country exported R933 million worth of raw wool to China.
"A technical delegation from the department this week left for China to discuss possible alternatives," said Viljoen.
The department could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, Cape Wools has called on wool producers to send their wool to their brokers as they would normally do and urged them to put reserve prices on the wool.
Viljoen said exports to other countries including Britain, Germany, India and Taiwan would still commence on Wednesday.
"Wednesday is also the first day of the 2010/11 wool selling season. So we urge producers not to withdraw their wool."
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