Rural Exchange host Richard Loe has spoken out about again about the state of the wool industry, claiming it's not being marketed to consumers properly.
Last month, the Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor announced the newly created Wool Working Group will discuss how to create a more sustainable and profitable sector.
However Mr Loe, who sells merino wool from his own farm, said that is not the issue.
"There's nothing wrong with the product - it's how it's marketed," he said
Mr Loe suggested that those promoting wool, particularly crossbred wool, have not been doing their job.
His comments came during an interview ith Nicole Oliver, a PhD student studying the future of New Zealand wool on RadioLIVE's Rural Exchange.
She told the show that the Wool Working Group is a great opportunity for industry to reflect on what's working for future strategy.
She said the industry needs to discuss the opportunities with other wool products beyond socks and carpets, noting that wool keratin can even be found in hair products.
"There are all these fantastic products that [wool] is going into, but we actually don't talk about them," she said
Ms Oliver says the industry is looking at moving away from the traditional uses of wool fibre in order to "reposition" its value in the global market.
Richard Loe spoke out last month about the new working group, making it clear he was cynical about the initiative.
"This sort of talk has continued ever since I can remember. Too much of a talkfest, too many people, too many organisations thinking they are going to bring them out of the doldrums - and they never do," he said at the time.
Watch the full interview with Nicole Oliver above.
Rural Exchange with Hamish McKay, Sarah Perriam and Richard Loe, 5-7am Saturday and Sunday on RadioLIVE with Carter's Tyre Service. Click here for all the ways to watch and listen.
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