Tuesday, 09 March 2021 10:55

A brighter outlook for venison?

Written by  Jessica Marshall
There may be light at the end of the tunnel for the country’s venison producers. There may be light at the end of the tunnel for the country’s venison producers.

Improved market conditions for venison are expected for the 2021 season, according to industry body Deer Industry NZ (DINZ).

“In the next few weeks, some venison companies will be offering minimum price supply contracts for the game season, for shipment of chilled venison during September and October,” says DINZ chair Ian Walker.

He says that in 2020, amidst Covid-19 lockdowns in Europe, contracts were offered at between $7 and $7.20 per kilogram.

“This year, we are seeing restaurants starting to reopen in North America. Also, prices for all meat in major world markets have begun what economists expect will be a steady, long-run climb,” Walker says.

However, the most recent Westpac Meat Matters report, released 19 February, suggests a slightly less optimistic outlook.

It states that venison prices have remained weak in 2021 so far.

According to the report, prices have so far slid 2.9%.

“However, we see light at the end of the tunnel for venison producers,” it reads.

The report predicts that in the German market, vaccine rollout will boost demand and prices over the course of 2021.

It also notes that pickup will be gradual and price pickup won’t happen until midway through the year.

Meanwhile, Walker says there are two markets where growth is occurring: China and the United States.

“Prospects in North America and demand from China – a developing market for venison – keeps growing.”

He says that DINZ will be working with five major venison marketing companies to build year-round demand for venison, particularly at retail and online for home delivery.

“We fully recognise that deer farmers need a schedule premium over lamb to make venison production a competitive land use. The industry was achieving that until the impact of Covid,” Walker adds.

“Venison prices will improve. And hopefully none of us will have to deal with another pandemic in our lifetimes.”

He says that because deer farmers can bank on getting better prices during the chilled season, they should target getting venison animals away before the end of October, if that fits with their farm system.

More like this

Feds, banks lock horns

Major rural lenders are welcoming a call by farmers for the Commerce Commission to investigate their net-zero emissions target.

Featured

Farmer input needed to combat FE

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on livestock farmers to take part in a survey measuring the financial impact of facial eczema (FE).

Editorial: Escaping Trump's wrath

OPINION: President Donald Trump's bizarre hard line approach to the world of what was once 'rules-based trade' has got New Zealand government officials, politicians and exporters on tenterhooks.

Wool pellets to boost gardens

With wool prices steadily declining and shearing costs on the rise, a Waikato couple began looking for a solution for wool from their 80ha farm.

National

Machinery & Products

Alpego eyes electric power harrow

Distributed by OriginAg in New Zealand, Italian manufacturer Alpego recently showed its three metre Alysium electric power harrow at the…

New seed drill tech coming

Incorporating Vaderstad's latest seed drill technology, the Proceed V 24, is said to improve precision and increase planting efficiencies for…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Waffle man

OPINION: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sometimes can't escape his own corporate instinct for evasion, and in what should have been…

Banks on notice

OPINION: Shane 'Matua' Jones, crusader against all things woke, including "woke banks", couldn't have scripted it better when his NZ…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter