During five preceding years fur farming industry of Consumer Cooperatives has become a major domestic exporter of furs, also a worthy competitor to the leading grandees fur business — Scandinavia and Asia. Fur farm annually produce more than 770,000 mink pelts and 2,5 thousand — fox and arctic fox. About 90 percent of the pelts sold for export. Is there reserves for farming industry development, and whether it can be tested in a new role — the manufacturer of luxury fur products? These questions the correspondent of «R» asked the deputy chief of farming Belcoopsoyuz Gennady Popov (pictured):
— Gennady Valentinovich, global market today plays into the hands of manufacturers of furs — price of mink increased from 20 to 50 dollars and above. How industry can use it for development? Experience shows, that we are not in vain knocked at the door of the world of auctions, improved product quality by parameters such as density of cover, fur color or other. In recent years enjoyed a special demand may not be as heat-resistant, but fashionable short-haired mink. Given the global trends in fur business fur farm consumer can offer 12 colors of established color. At the end of last year from the sale of fur products, we have made a profit 130 billion, while net profit — more than 92 billion rubles. Foreign currency earnings for the past year amounted to 31.7 million dollars.
— In December last year Belkoopsoyz shipped to the Finnish auction more than 260,000 mink pelts and implemented it with a 15 percent increase in home prices. For furs produced by our organisations, trading brokers from Greece, Italy, China and Russia — the leading countries engaged in manufacture of fur products. The highest quality product we traditionally sell at auction in Helsinki, where all the trades and the prices for most products are transparent. There are advertisement, a lot of buyers and strong demand — respectively extremely high price set on goods. Of course, auctions are taking over the organization of trading 1—4 percent from the amount of goods sold. However, this beneficial relationship in the calculations they make a partial prepayment, upon completion of bidding lists the remaining amount. Belarusian furs sold to Russia too.
— However you sell part of production in home market too. Although much progress in the production of domestic fur articles is not observed (judging by the shop windows)?
— The principal place of business of domestic light industry — Vitebsk fur factory. The company commissioned a Belcoopsoyuz 35,000 mink for the smooth operation of the current season. Sorter Vitebsk fur factory was granted the exclusive right of priority of selection of mink in any of the farms, including the color spectrum. At the request of the home producer we sell furs at a price at 15 percent lower than the world. But requested amounts of raw materials have not been redeemed: Vitebsk fur factory has taken but not paid the 20,000 pelts. Another 10,000 pelts are stored in warehouses of fur farm.
But in March in Helsinki on auction price of mink increased by 5 percent. And the upward trend in prices for «soft gold» has not diminished. Of course, materials selected for partners of Vitebsk does not rise in price, but if they do not pay for the goods in the near future, we will be forced to sell it through auction sales. In my opinion, vain processors «are frozen» in unredeemed goods over half a million dollars of our money. Ourselves additional funds will not prevent: given the growth in profits from the fur-breeding sector management of Belcoopsoyuz decided to replace the outdated material and technical base fur farm. It is important to do now, while fur is in high demand.
— Interesting question sounded recently at a meeting in the Ministry of Economy: how many fur products can «absorb» the domestic market in view of the solvency of the population?
— Capacity of the domestic market is estimated by representatives of the Vitebsk fur factory of 15 thousand units of outerwear, including 5000 - a coat of fur, which is equivalent to 200 thousand mink. According to the perspective plans Vitebsk fur factory will use by the year 2015 about 120 thousand skins. Obviously, there is a free niche for other manufacturers of fur products, and therefore for the development of a competitive environment. The prospect is seen not in the production of conveyor, where there are a number of identical fur coats with buttons in one place. This is the most expensive form of clothing. This means that the future belongs to brand studios, able to offer individual and creative approach. Traditional views in the manufacture of clothing made of natural fur and leather materials will destroy business. The man who was saved enough money, is worthy to receive from the manufacturer а exclusive product.
— Why not try Belcoopsoyuz himself as a manufacturer of fashion furs?
— Not a simple question! It is important to understand that the farming industry is a huge bunch of problems and questions: purchase the missing import of feed for fur animals, and the costs associated with the purchase of new animals, and complex zootechnical breeding work and the daily work of veterinarians.
Of course, the manufacturer of the fur fashion - that is the other industry that has its own characteristics. Farming works in reverse. First is the customer. Tailors are working for him. The producers of raw materials are working on the tailors. Brokers are buy furs at auction by order of the entire chain.
But we will try their hand. As an experiment, based on the unitary enterprise «Belkoopvneshtorg Belcoopsoyuz», created a workshop for sewing fur products to order. The company shop has been running for a year, has a brand «Dzhinelli». There are good working professionals. Already sewed and sold 254 units of clothing.
We are not going to sell fur products in large stores: we are not a mass produced. We are ready to supply the product in specialty stores or section where they sell exclusive clothes. Exclusive product should look in the window like a jewel in a frame. There is a risk to remain with unsold goods until the next cold season. Therefore, in the sewing shop in Kolyachi are created its own showroom of finished product. There are fur coats, hats for men and women, accessories for mobile phones, handbags, key chains and more. By the way, we even had to somewhat limit the reception of orders, because we do not have time to fulfill all of their time.
