The global price of cocoa is falling and producer countries are anxious to restore foreign earnings by processing a higher percentage of the crop in country. An innovative project which involves a novel use for wool should boost exports for New Zealand at a time when world wool prices are in decline. King Country Trading, a private NZ company is setting up a manufacturing business in China for building insulation made of wool. The insulation material is to be produced at the same textile factory that already produces a profitable line of wool duvets for the company. Although the material will be more expensive than other types of insulation, it absorbs noise, is flame resistant and it does not give off toxic fumes.
People are also prepared to pay more for the wool insulation, as it is a natural product.
King Country Trading is now investigating the possibility of manufacturing other products in China made from NZ wool. Fabulous Faba Improved varieties and agronomic practices have enabled Egypt to double the production of faba bean in twenty years without increasing the area of land planted to the crop. Yields per hectare are now the third highest in the world. The improved faba bean varieties used in the package are resistant to Chocolate Spot and Rust diseases, and to the parasitic weed Broomrape. Planting of these resistant varieties has also significantly reduced levels of chemicals traditionally used to control these pests and diseases.