PYATIGORSK, April 23. /TASS/. Compulsory marking of furs introduced in Russia in 2016 significantly influenced on the furs business and increased the legal turnover on the market tenfold in 2017, President of the Russian Fur Union (RFU) Sergei Stolbov told TASS on Monday.

"Our turnover of legal products grew almost tenfold over the last year. Nearly 2 mln outdoor clothes with natural furs were sold in the amount of about 102 bln rubles ($1.6 bln). We have never recorded that earlier," Stolbov said.

Specialists are optimistic on the situation in the fur market, the expert said. "Natural furs continue to be in demand across the globe on the whole and in Russia in particular," he added.

The global turnover of natural fur items is currently estimated at more than $30 bln. "China is the largest producer and consumer of furs - they reached $16.5 bln last year. We estimate the turnover in Russia as about $2.5 bln, which is fairly significant and makes it possible to rank second by consumption of fur products," the expert said.

The share of artificial furs is extremely small on the market and its usefulness is doubtful in many aspects, the expert said. "The share of eco-furs amounts to tenths of a percent at present, while natural furs capture the main share," Stolbov added.