Spanish sheep farmers welcome resumption of wool exports to China

MADRID, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Sheep farmers in Spain have welcomed China's decision to resume imports of Spanish wool, expressing hope that the move will help revive the struggling sector and boost rural development.

"It's good news because the wool industry in Spain has been in a very bad situation. Sheep farmers haven't been able to make a profit from their wool, so the fact that a window has opened to export to China is great news," said Pablo Rincon, secretary general of Asaja, the agricultural association of young farmers, in an interview with Xinhua on Friday.

Exports of Spanish wool were suspended three years ago following an outbreak of sheeppox in the country.

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Spain's wool exports dropped from 18,126 tonnes in 2021 to 15,927 tonnes in 2024, while total national wool production also declined from 23,168 tonnes to 20,670 tonnes over the same period.