International Mink Show cheered by higher prices

SANDY PARKER REPORT, VOL. 33, ISSUE 46, JANUARY 25, 2010
The following extract is reproduced with permission from Sandy Parker Reports, Weekly International Fur News. Sandy Parker has been covering the fur industry for more than four decades. For most of that time he has published a weekly newsletter, detailing results of international pelt auctions, wholesale price trends, business developments and movements in the trade, as well as economic and political activities that may impact on it.

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International Fur News
with Sandy Parker

International Mink Show cheered by higher prices

RANCHERS ATTENDING THE RECENT INTERNATIONAL MINK SHOW in Milwaukee were generally an upbeat crowd, cheered by the higher prices at the opening sales. They also drew encouragement from auction officials’ forecasts that prices were likely to remain strong because of low skin inventories around the world, particularly in the huge Chinese market. At the same time, however, there was much concern voiced about aleutian disease and what individual ranches had to do to avoid it.

Environmental issues also took center stage, including new regulations by federal, state and local agencies affecting virtually all farming activities. Attention also was given to recent European legislation designed to put fur farmers out of business and what was being done to prevent similar actions in the U.S. Growing competition from European production of short-napped mink was brought up as a wake-up call to the ranchers, advising them to pay even more attention to the quality of their mink.

IN THIS ISSUE
Cold Temps Still Helping Sales
China, Russia Going Strong
U.S. Called So-So as Weather Varies
Credit Cards Seen Problematic
More Stores Going to Hong Kong

For extracts from back issues of Sandy Parker Reports see News Archive. Subscribers can access an archive of complete issues at www.sandyparker.com.