The fur industry in Greece will survive the deepest crisis due to the sanctions imposed on Russia, Reuters reports.
The fur industry is one of the most important lines of the country’s export. But recent years have become difficult for her. Eco-activism, a decrease in the size of the demand and pandemia of the Covid-19 gradually weakened the scope of the production of fur. Russia remained its main market, and Russian consumers gave the largest percentage of sales. According to the Greek fur federation, since the 90s, their business model was focused on wealthy Russian buyers and tourists in the region.
However, after the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the introduction of anti -Russian sanctions to Europe, Greece lost the Russian market and Russian buyers. Sanctions are prohibited by shops to sell goods to Russian tourists in Greece, since fur is considered a luxury subject. The city of Castoria, which is the centuries -old center for the production of “soft gold”
, was most affected by the most.
“The Russians have traditionally been large customers. Obviously, the war stopped this, and this is very good news,” said Mark Glover, a representative of the alliance without fur, more than 50 animal protection organizations around the world.
However, representatives of the industry do not agree with him. To date, about 2000 fur enterprises in the country, mainly family, in which, according to the Federation, about 4,000 people are employed, have received state assistance, which allowed them to avoid layoffs. This is a temporary measure of support, introduced until September.
Representatives of the Greek fur federation ask the government to make an exception for their industry and allow Russians to buy fur goods, and to industries to send valuable goods to Russia for sale.