The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected industries like aviation, travel and tourism, and the job sector.
A recent report highlights how the pandemic has also brought a huge loss to the woolen industry.
Farmers in England are left with no choice but to turn 'worthless' woolen fleeces into compost because prices of the commodity have dropped by more than 60 per cent a kilo as export markets closes amid pandemic.
A report by DailyMail says that the value of sheep wool has plummeted in recent years as consumers started opting for synthetic fibres. The sales were further hit by the pandemic, which closed the export markets this year.
A shepherd from Stonegate, East Sussex, Stauart Fletcher, has been forced to compost 600 fleeces this year and described how it was a 'tragedy' to be burning a 'completely biodegradable product', DailyMail reports. Owner of Fletcher's Flock told The Sunday Times that fleeces are a magical fibre that scientists have never been able to replicate, but still people wear ‘plastic clothes.’ Fletcher said everything is wrapped up in plastic, and he has to compost the fleece produce from his farm. He brought the issue to public attention with a post on social media, showing his fleeces piled up. It was shared 24,000 times.
In July this year, Fletcher posted a picture of the fleece piled up on his farm and told the outlet that people should know about it and it went viral.
He said everybody wanted to buy the stuff, and that they thought it is a brilliant product. Earlier, farmers would shear their livestock and take the remains to British Wool, which was previously known as the British Wool Marketing Board to sell.
However, the coronavirus pandemic has affected the price. The farmers are now offered a price that is often worth less than the fuel the farmers would use to drive it to the depot. Hence, they are dealing with the pile of fleece by either burning the wool or using it for compost.
The United Kingdom produces nearly 22,000 tons of wool every year from about 45,000 farmers who tend more than 32 million sheep, which is equal to one for every two people. British wool is used for making woollen clothes, and other products like carpets, blankets, in luxury hotels and cruises. Shearing is an annual process, principally done for the welfare of the animal, costing up to £2 per sheep.