Voice of London

There has been global shock and outrage following the announcement from the Danish government that all minks are to be culled due to the presence of coronavirus. Many countries were taken aback that Denmark has so many mink farms selling worldwide.

Denmark has a huge production of mink fur with around 1200 farms, where the Danish government announced on 5 November they had found coronavirus in 216 mink farms.

Danish mink farmers exported just over £600 million (5bn DKK) worldwide last year, which is around 3,8 per cent of the livestock export in Denmark.

Furthermore, 214 people in Jutland have been tested positive with a mink variant of the coronavirus.

The alarm bells rang when a mutated form of the virus was found on mink farms in the northern part of Denmark. The Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen fears that the mink mutation of coronavirus can stop a possible future vaccine from being effective.

The United Kingdom banned fur farming in 2002. However Danish mink farmer Hanne Kristensen, believes these measures might worsen the minks wellbeing.

“We have been the world’s best at making a fantastic product, under proper and documented conditions. It is now going to be moved out into the world, where these rules do not apply,” says Kristensen.

Kristensen grew up with mink farming and has 30 years of experience in the field. She is now going to lose her business due to the new regulations.

“My everyday life is terrible, I will lose my income, millions – How will I pay off my loans, get food on the table and pay my expenses?” says Kristensen

On the day of the decision, Danish mink farmers chose to raise their flags halfway to show their grief.

Many Danish mink farmers are still very furious of the way the government has chosen to handle the situation.

“It is terrible what the government can do, it is expropriation! The government should have done it differently. Now it is our animals that will suffer. Which profession will disappear with the next governmental initiative?” says Kristensen

The United Kingdom announced on the 7 of November a complete ban for Danish citizens to enter the UK. Flights from Denmark will not land in the United Kingdom, and Danish citizens, who decide to drive to the UK, will be denied entry as well.

The reason for these drastic measures is due to the mutated virus of coronavirus found in minks in Denmark, which authorities in Britain will prevent from entering the United Kingdom.

Update: Denmark: All minks culled, a profession gone?

Words: Yasmin Yakki | Subbing: Sam Tabahriti