Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Sent to Alpaca site...held, not posted by site...

Richard,

a cursory look at the US marino sheep world will show you a large
group of very successful individual  sheep ranches that each have
found their own niche. While on a wholesale level wool is nearly
worthless these ranchers sell their product at a profitable price and
they sell it before shearing day. One such ranch is just down the road
from me.

The current US alpaca market has been built on a breeders model 
as there weren't enough alpacas to supply any level of "fleece market".
We are in the process of transitioning to multiple levels and
models.  This is simply reality.

My question to you at this point is are you here to help or are you
simply interested in nay saying?  There are successful models to
follow. Thus far many alpaca breeders have simply been waiting for
someone else to make it happen.  It's time to do it for ourselves.

Blue Skies

Jennifer Powers

Aero Ranch Suri Alpacas

--- On Thu, 11/20/08, suekodu <humhojl120@hotmail.com> wrote:
From: suekodu <humhojl120@hotmail.com>
Subject: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Sent to Alpaca site...held, not posted by site...
To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2008, 11:49 AM

--- In AlpacaTalk@yahoogro ups.com, Jennifer J Powers <jpowers@... >

wrote:

>

> Richard,

> my point and what Blue Sky Yarns supports in my point is that the

cottage industry will support a profitable price point. We need to

build our own individual niches. And or support those working to

carve out such a niche. Stop looking to a large scale wholesale

outlet. Something that has proven time after time to be unsuccessful.

>

> Blue Skies

> Jennifer Powers

> Aero Ranch Suri Alpacas

> Browns Valley CA

What modern Western agricultural industry requires every farmer to

find their own niche/cottage outlets, because there isn't a viable

wholesale market?

And if there were such a huge cottage industry demand, how come it

doesn't command a sufficient price for the yarn (let alone the raw

fleece) to make keeping alpacas profitable?

Blue Sky Yarns aren't supporting US alpaca fiber, at a profitable

price point or otherwise, since they source from South America. There

is plenty of world supply of alpaca fiber for home craft outlets, but

it's largely from countries where alpaca keepers are living in

extreme poverty, reportedly on something like $345 to $800 per year –

the asking price for a single gelding in the US.

The figures I gave earlier show that the income, after processing

costs, for US producers selling alpaca yarn to local outlets gives

an insufficient return (I estimated $120/head ) to cover the cost of

keeping the alpacas.

It's not just me - in July 2008 a producer on AlpacaSite reported

that through arranging processing and retailing and selling yarn at

$6oz ($96/lb) he only achieves $50 to $150 per animal after direct

fiber-related expenses, insufficient to cover annual husbandry

expenses.

Another example on the NAAFP website suggests about $160/head

returns after processing (at the 10 to 15 alpaca level averaged over

2 years). Again that would be insufficient to cover animal expenses.

Richard

Maidstone Kent

UK

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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