# Hunting > Varminting and Small Game Hunting >  Possum fur prices 2020 ?

## akaroa1

Does anyone know whats happening to the possum fur price right now ?

I have enquired but no reply so far

Half of my winter building contract has been postponed due to the virus and its economic effects.
So I was planning on going bush earlier this winter and doing a bit more possuming than usual.
But I'm also picking the the fur price will take a tumble because a lot of the finished product is for tourists etc

Am I right ?

Prefer to be wrong !

----------


## akaroa1

I have done a 2 kgs in the last few weeks just protecting my hazel nut orchard from the bastards

----------


## PillowDribbler

The last price i got is 3 days ago in naki $115.Expecting price to drop due to market demand and over supply from layed off guys in forestry etc.

----------


## Sarvo

> Does anyone know whats happening to the possum fur price right now ?
> 
> I have enquired but no reply so far
> 
> Half of my winter building contract has been postponed due to the virus and its economic effects.
> So I was planning on going bush earlier this winter and doing a bit more possuming than usual.
> But I'm also picking the the fur price will take a tumble because a lot of the finished product is for tourists etc
> 
> Am I right ?
> ...


Just txt my local agents and asked for this years prices - back soon.

Like to hear more on the likes of pending/potential slowdowns in the likes of construction etc
This is where a thinking government would make something good out of potential bad
Process timber sitting on wharf's for local trade and build infrastructure etc

But - ha - I just a dumb Possum Plucker from way back

----------


## Sideshow

Id say its going to drop....along with every thing else due to the knock on effects of this Virus.

----------


## Sarvo

Basically Bush are paying $115 - saying it might drop to $110 but hopefully not any lower. 
Their opposition are only paying $100 kg. 
Basically Bush are a new Zealand based company and all of their products are manufactured here in NZ

From Lisa & Rob - Koromiko - Marlborough

----------


## akaroa1

Well I will be happy if it stays above $100 

If it all goes tits up, I will just disappear of into the bush for a couple of months

----------


## Fat ninja

Get in touch with any handy pet food places as they may take some carcasses. Be worth some extra dollars for ya

----------


## Sarvo

Expected I suppose - but another kick in the teeth for a lot of outdoorsie guys and gals 

_Hi All
It has been some time since we last posted to this page (8 months in fact) and for the most part it has been pretty much business as usual . Fur prices had been high ,demand steady, Skin prices firm .Tourists were being tourists and spending their money on possum products . this all gave us a lot of optimism that the summer season of 2020 was going to business as usual . Then along came Covid 19 (corona virus) ,and how things have changed . Most of your questions have been are we buying fur and skins .Up until the lock down yes , now ,no. You will have been aware of the price to hunters easing over the last few months . this was in response to demand for finished garments being severely affected as tourist customers simply were not there , and those that were not spending . This has flowed back down the supply chain to wholesalers and yarn producers ,and ultimately to hunters . this situation is not going to change anytime soon .Even when the lock down is over and some sense of normality returns , our industry will look very different. In the short term our borders will be closed to overseas visitors ,don't expect to see any overseas tourists here for the rest of this year . this will have huge implications for our industry and many others. Looking further out ,who knows,this is uncharted waters .One thing I am sure about is that when this is over all business in NZ will be changed ,ours will be no different . What this will look like who knows but we have done our best to ensure that when this crisis eases we will still be here ready to pick up where we left off.
Before the lock down we had signaled that the price was reducing down to $105/kg , this will still be the case when the lock down is over and we are allowed to trade again . However don't assume that as soon as the lock down is eased that we will be buying fur , this will depend on customer demand . We will however be looking for skins before we need fur. for those that have supplied us in the past keep in touch with your agent and they will let you know when you can bring them in . Prices will remain the same as last year for darks but not for grays ,again your local agent will have this info ,give them a call.
We are anticipating that there will be very little activity until June/July ,slowly picking up from there on in . This is just crystal ball gazing on our part ,there are so many unknowns ,but our industry has been strong and resilient over the years.This is not the first time it has had significant challenges and it wont be the last, it is however the most significant we have ever faced
On a wider note this is the first time my generation (i am 65 ) our children's and our grand children have every had to face a challenge on this scale . How we play our part in the coming months will define who we are as a people and as a society,did we rise to the challenge or did we fail I hope for all of us that it is the former.
Kia kaha
Kia atawhai
Kia whai whakaaro me te atawhai ki etahi atu

Be strong
Be kind
Be mindful of and kind to others

The team at Basically Bush_

----------


## Howa1500

Basically bush just put up a post on Facebook a couple days back, is a pretty good explanation of whats gonna happen/happening

----------


## Sarvo

> Basically bush just put up a post on Facebook a couple days back, is a pretty good explanation of what’s gonna happen/happening


Ar yea 
Its above if you look

----------


## 300CALMAN

yes I am stuck with 2kg.. Dam it

----------


## DavidGunn

I am paying the grandson $80 a kilo to give him some incentive to do something during lockdown...I maybe stuck with it for some time but hopefully square him up down the track.

----------


## Sarvo

> I am paying the grandson $80 a kilo to give him some incentive to do something during lockdown...I maybe stuck with it for some time but hopefully square him up down the track.


No - good investment 
And - I think you might pass on da profits afterwards too :-)

----------


## Sarvo

PS
For those serious 
Please take note of - "Skins will profit/sell before Fur"

----------


## Sarvo

Hi All
Now that we have moved from level four to level three and hopefully soon to be at level two, we think it is time to give you all a heads up on what is happening with Basically Bush
As you are all well aware the tourist industry in New Zealand is on its knees. There will be no international tourists here (with the exception of maybe Australia in several months’ time) for at least 18 months to 2 years. For many years now we have only supplied possum fur exclusively to the domestic spinner who supplies the New Zealand domestic market and Australia, so when they told us that they don’t need any fur for at least eighteen months, you can all understand the situation. However, they (the spinner) fully understand what will happen to the supply chain if we stop buying. We will get through the current situation and come out the other end and it is crucially important to ensure that there will be a supply chain operating when this happens. To that end they have agreed to continue to support basically bush who will continue to be able to by fur 
So yes, we will continue to buy fur but only when we get to level two.  The price however will be down significantly, and we will be looking for smaller volumes. So, at level two we will enter the market @$ 90/kg for all types. this is well down on what we were paying before we went into lockdown. We are well aware that this will come at a bit of a shock, but this will allow us to continue buying for the rest of this year with the exception of December 2020 and January 2021. We are also well aware that there are other parties paying more at present, and sending it directly to China as raw fur with no added value and doing nothing for the long-term sustainability of the industry here. At this time, we won’t be matching what others are paying at present, we will continue to evaluate and monitor what is happening in the market. when things settle, we will then look to support our hunters with a view to long term stability and sustainability .  Our strategic position is to support the domestic market with a view to the long-term survival of the fur industry in New Zealand. This will mean that in the short-term hunters will have options re price, but be assured that overseas interests have no loyalty or commitment to the fur industry in New Zealand. They will ultimately look to drive down prices, especially if there is no domestic competition. So, while there may be better prices out there you shouldn’t just assume, they will be there in the medium to long term. 
We will also be providing the opportunity for you to send your fibre direct to us at Woodville .This will enable us to add a small premium /kg for doing so .If you want to find out more then call Scott on 0272527949 for more info on how this will work .We will also continue to buy skins this season at the following prices 
X large 1st $20 2nd $18   3rd $9   Large 1st $16 2nd $14 3rd $8  Medium 1st $10  2nd  $8 . These prices will be subject to change as the season progress, depending on supply and demand. Again, this is down on last season but we can all hope that things will improve
That’s it for now we will continue to update as the season progresses, and continue to look for that light at the end of the tunnel
From the team at Basically Bush

----------


## Husky1600

Was talking to a full time trapper the other day, he has spent the last 4 weeks of lockdown at a remote hut, trapping as per usual. He has over 40kg so far, and had been offered $105 per kg for it when he phoned around on his one and only resupply trip to town. At that price he's happy to hold on to it, says if it comes up $20 later in the year, then he's made more money waiting than putting it in the bank.

----------


## bigbear

Thanks for the post @Sarvo for putting up the update.  
Its a hard one if i had 10kg of fur sitting here and somebody was paying $20 more per kg or even $10 thats between $100-$200 loss exspecially if its your income. Even doing it for pest control on the farm when you are out all night i still enjoy the extra cash :Have A Nice Day:  that $110-$120 made it worth while
A 12yr old Boy down the road has got 5kg of his traps in lock down he won't want to go back to school  :Thumbsup:

----------


## Sarvo

This is where they should talk with Winston or Shane Jones
Get a subsidy to refine the raw product here in NZ
Others sending direct to China should get a Export Tax disincentive ??

Am I sounding like Roger Douglas  "or"  Rob Muldoon   :Yuush:

----------


## bigbear

This is when the goverment should put a bounty on possum to get there pest free. even a dollar a tail. @Sarvo one of the fur buyers in town was staying that there was only a couple of full time trappers in gisborne selling them fur. I was surprised. Plenty of people bringing in fur but only hobbyist.

----------


## plumly

Hey guys quick question on possum skins for selling, what sort of prep / cleanup is required for selling skins? is it just a matter of removing the skin, taking as little flesh as possible, or do you actually have to clean up the removed skin to get it closer to a ready for tanning state? Just figuring out if it's worth giving skinning a go. Planning to do a possum roundup with a mate, last time we bagged 10 without even trying and threw the possums away not realizing how easy they are to pluck. I figure they're at least worth plucking, but seems you'd have to do that while hunting, when the possums still warm. Whereas skinning can be done next day, but I'm not sure how good of a job is required.

Will be hunting them over hawera way, but I'm based on Palmerston North personally. Will probably do a cull once lockdown is lowered, then another at the end of winter.

----------

