“Yes they do,” says Howard Trager, a fur broker from Montreal. “All the main auction companies in North America, and indeed in the world, are now owned by the producers themselves. Farmers and trappers receive the full value of their furs with only a small commission deducted to cover the costs of running the auction and supporting market development programs.”
However, since prices for pelts are driven by supply and demand, they can vary widely. For example, as of 2018, prime coyote pelts are earning good money because they are being used to trim popular down-filled parkas, while muskrat and beaver prices are depressed.
Farmed fur is the same. In most years mink pelts generate enough profit for farmers to invest in their business, but following international supply and demand cycles, occasionally prices can dip below the cost of production.
Prices, moreover, are not the only factor influencing fur production. For example, trappers still harvest muskrat and beaver even when the prices for these furs are low, because these species can cause considerable damage if their populations are not managed. These (and other) species are also used as food.
Answer by :
Howard Trager, fur broker (Montreal, Canada); Truth About Fur
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