The White Paper on the fur industry’s future is expected shortly. Meanwhile, fur prices have decreased dramatically.
Leather prices in the major auction houses in Denmark and Finland have not been as low since 2009 for mink and blue fox, and silver fox has decreased even further, reports newspaper, Nationen.
The financial crisis drove prices down to the basement. After 2009, there were many good, high price years which led to a sharp rise in production.
‘Globally, this has grown too large, so the price decline had to come’, said marketing expert Torkil Tveter in Norway Pelsdyralslag.
‘In addition to diminishing production, which is now at record levels, two major Norwegian customer countries – China and Russia – have had it tougher financially’. Tveter points out that the ruble is greatly weakened by the oil downturn, making all imported goods more expensive.
Prices are now at a level that puts many Norwegian fur farmers in deficit. This also applies to many other countries.
‘We believe the result will be that those involved with animal welfare and deliver good quality leather will win. There, Norwegian farmers are strong’, said Tveter.
He says ‘it is difficult to predict how future prices will be affected’, but he is optimistic. At auctions in the autumn, all skins were sold. Tveter believes this demonstrates the market has faith in the positive price trend.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
