Auction Update – EFur Cambodia Mink Skin Aug Auction

Dear Valued Partners,

The EFur August Auction began just one week after the much-anticipated China Yuyao Fur Fair. That event, however, delivered far fewer garment buyers and orders than expected, leaving the market with weaker sentiment. Trailing this atmosphere, our August auction was also affected, as buyers grew cautious about holding skins that might not sell easily in today’s market.

At the same time, mink prices in China — particularly for male skins — have dropped below the June Finland Auction levels. Against this backdrop, EFur began its sale with starting bids set at approximately 3% higher than Finland’s June Auction. For the skins that did sell, farmers will achieve 3%–8% higher returns compared with Finland in June. Yet this aggressive pricing, combined with the difficult market climate, suppressed overall clearance.

Auction Highlights

The Brown Regular section once again set the tone. Demand was lopsided, with female skins selling very strongly at over 69%, while interest in males was much weaker. This confirmed the sharp divide in the market, with females still well supported but males facing heavy downward pressure.

Mahogany achieved 47.1% clearance, standing out as one of the auction’s stronger performers. Buyers showed consistent interest where quality was clear, reinforcing this type’s resilience.

Scan Pastel recorded 34.9% clearance, reflecting selective but steady demand. Better collections were well received, while irregular lots struggled to find buyers.

By contrast, White, Pearl Beige, and Silver Blue all experienced weaker demand. Pearl Beige achieved only 17.5% clearance, while White and Silver Blue recorded very limited results. In each case, buyers indicated that starting prices were too aggressive for the current market climate, especially after the disappointing Yuyao Fair.

Lowgrades

Lowgrade sections were a bright spot, with strong buyer participation:

• Brown Lowgrade reached an outstanding 82.3%, making it the standout performer of the auction.
• Silver Blue Lowgrade achieved 48.6%, showing firm support when pricing matched market realities.
• Mahogany Lowgrade recorded 37.5%, confirming consistent demand even at lower levels when preparation was adequate.

Market Observations

This auction highlighted how buyers are adapting to the weaker global market. Rather than competing broadly, they are choosing skins that allow for slower garment production in line with current demand. Buyers are increasingly turning to female skins and damaged skins as a way to control costs while still keeping their workers occupied with production.

At the same time, aggressive starting prices limited participation in several categories, while the fall in male skin prices in China below Finland benchmarks kept buyers cautious. Still, the strong outcomes in Brown Female, Mahogany, Scan Pastel, and particularly the lowgrades showed that demand is present where preparation is consistent and prices are aligned with reality.

Conclusion

Despite weaker sentiment trailing from the Yuyao Fur Fair and slow Chinese market conditions, the auction confirmed areas of strength: Brown Regular Females, Mahogany, Scan Pastel, and lowgrades, especially Brown Lowgrade.  With careful pricing and consistent grading, solid buyer support remains available, even in a challenging environment. Preparations are already underway for our next auction, which is expected to feature an expanded offering.

In the coming months, we will continue to place skins on the market through private treaty and monthly auctions. With our strategic location, we are confident in our ability to capture opportunities and respond quickly when the market begins to move.

We thank all consignors and buyers for their continued trust and participation.

Warm regards,

EFur Mink Auction Team