Fur farming in data

How quickly is fur production shrinking, and where is it still happening?

Fur farming has contracted sharply over the past decade. Production of mink, fox and raccoon dog pelts has fallen fast, with closures driven by collapsing demand, policy bans and (in some countries) major disease shocks. This page summarises the latest production trends using national-level statistics compiled in one dataset.

Global production (all species)

Global production of mink, fox and raccoon dog fur peaked in the mid-2010s and then fell sharply across all three species. Mink production declined the most in absolute terms, while fox and raccoon dog output also contracted steeply from their later peaks. The fastest falls occurred in the early 2020s. By 2024, total output was a fraction of peak levels, and production was increasingly concentrated in a smaller number of countries.


  




    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      




  
Mink production
Global mink production peaked in 2014 and then fell steeply over the following decade. The fastest declines occurred in the early 2020s. By 2024, mink output was far below peak levels, reflecting a major contraction of the mink farming industry.























  
  





  
    

  




    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      




  
 Mink production - country by country
Over time, mink production shifted from being spread across a wider group of producing countries to being concentrated in a smaller number. In the mid-2010s, several European countries recorded substantial output alongside China, but production then fell sharply and many countries dropped to very low levels or ended production entirely. By 2024, most recorded production came from a small group of countries, meaning the global total became more sensitive to changes in just a few places (for example, closures, policy phase-outs, or major disruptions in leading producer countries).























  
  





  
    

  




    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      



    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      




  
Over the last ten years, mink production became more concentrated in a smaller number of countries. The rankings shifted year by year as output fell in some producers and persisted (or fell more slowly) in others, so countries moved up and down the table rather than staying in a fixed order. Overall, the trend across the decade was a shrinking industry, with fewer countries accounting for a larger share of remaining production by the end of the period.
Over the same period, several European countries moved from production to a legal end of fur farming. In the Netherlands, mink farming had already been scheduled to end, but closures were brought forward and the sector was shut down by March 2021 (https://www.four-paws.org/our-stories/press-releases/august-2020/the-dutch-government-announced-to-shut-down-the-mink-farming-industry-in-the-country-by-march). Belgium’s remaining fur farms closed following a phase-out (with the final end date in 2023) (https://respectforanimals.org/a-guide-to-fur-bans-around-the-world/). Ireland banned fur farming in law in 2022 (https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2025/0930/1536038-fur-farming-mink-ireland-legislation/). Italy introduced a fur farming ban effective from 1 January 2022 (https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/news/italy-bans-fur-farming-january-2022). A broader overview of fur farming bans and phase-outs across countries is tracked here: https://www.furfreealliance.com/fur-bans/.























  
  





  
    

  




    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      




  
EU vs China vs Rest of world (share of global production)
Over time, global production became more concentrated by region. China remained the largest producing region in the dataset throughout the period, even as overall totals declined. The EU’s share generally reduced as production contracted, while the “rest of world” component became relatively small. By the most recent years, a larger proportion of the remaining global total came from a smaller number of producing regions.























  
  





  
    

  




    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      




  
 Global production (all species)
This section shows the combined total across mink, fox and raccoon dog production.
Key points
  • Total production peaks in the mid-2010s and then falls rapidly.
  • The sharpest declines occur in the early 2020s.
  • The mix of species changes over time, but the direction is consistently down.























  
  





  
    

  




    

  
  

  



  
    
    


  
  












  

    

    
      
    
    

  

  

    

      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      




  
Trends Overview
 
Mink Fur Farming: General Trends
  • Global peak: 2014, with 113,458,000 minks produced.
  • Massive decline post-2014: By 2023, production fell to 14,068,000 — an 88% decrease from the peak.
  • COVID-era crash: A sharp drop is seen from 2019 to 2021, with production nearly halved each year.
 Top Producers and Changes
  • China:
    • Absolute leader until 2019, peaking at 60,000,000 in 2014.
    • Drastic decline after: only 3,880,000 in 2023.
  • EU Countries (notably Denmark, Poland, Netherlands):
    • Denmark: Peaked in 2014 at 17,888,000, then fell to 0 in 2021, slight bounce  in 2023.
    • Poland: 2nd highest in EU; also declined from 9,500,000 (2014) to 3,000,000 (2023).
    • Netherlands: Consistent until 2020 ban, then 0 thereafter.
 European Union (EU Total)
  • Peaked in 2014 at 42,066,000.
  • Down to 6,368,000 in 2023 — a drop of 85%.
  • Major reductions due to legislation banning fur farming, collapsing auction prices for pelts and COVID-19-related culling (esp. Denmark).
Countries with Production Ceasing
  • Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden (briefly), Ireland, Italy, Estonia: All show 0 production from 2021/2022 onward.
  • Reflects regulatory bans or industry collapse.
Exceptions / Growth Trends
  • Russia: Though fluctuating, shows a resurgence in 2023 to 1,046,000.
  • Ukraine & Belarus: Moderate stability, with Ukraine rebounding in 2021 before dropping again.
  • Bulgaria: Emerged after 2015; peaked at 150,000 in 2021.