4 Sep 2014

Possum fur processor looks to exports

5:23 am on 4 September 2014

A possum fur processor looking to expand into the export market foresees no problems getting supplies of the fibre.

Woolyarns New Zealand of Lower Hutt, is the biggest manufacturer of yarn blended from possum fur and merino wool or cashmere.

The possum is regarded as New Zealand's worst animal pest because it spreads bovine tuberculosis among cattle and deer herds and is also a threat to native wildlife and plants.

That is why it's targetted in large scale 1080 poisoning campaigns.

Woolyarns' managing director, Neil Mackie, who also chairs the New Zealand Fur Council, said fur processors rely on possum control operations for their supplies too.

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