Demand for venison sparks plea

Livestock farmers urged to switch to deer as market for meat soars

SCOTLAND is in need of more venison farmers to keep up with a soaring demand for the meat among UK consumers.

Scottish Venison Partnership claim that unless more farms get involved, the likely outcome is that imports from countries such as New Zealand will double over the next five years.

With Scottish Venison Day approaching on September 4, the partnership is highlighting the economic opportunity for Scotland’s conventional livestock producers to make the switch to deer.

SVP chairman Bill Bewsher said: “The UK continues to import around one third of the venison that it consumes, and we export to Europe about one third of what we produce – mostly venison from roe deer and late season red from stags, although this can vary subject to fluctuations in the euro exchange rate. We import farmed venison because as yet the UK cannot produce enough volume from farmed stock which gives consistency in terms of age, colour, eatability and conformation of the meat.”

SVP estimates that the total annual UK venison production is now around 3,800 tonnes, around 70 per cent of which comes from Scotland’s wild red deer cull, with other species, Scottish farmed and wild, and farmed from the rest of the UK, making up 30 per cent.

However, as of 2015, imports from New Zealand stood at around 900 tonnes, with additional product coming into the UK from Poland, Ireland, Spain and other European countries.

Mr Bewsher added that there are now schemes available to help Scottish deer farmers, with the Scottish Government supporting initiatives such as the Deer Farm and Park Demonstration Day Programme.

After years of being excluded from the farm support system, Scottish deer farmers are also now eligible for the basic payment.

However, the uptake is not keeping pace with the market.

SVP estimates around 10 per cent sales growth year on year, which will take UK venison consumption from 3,800 to more than 6,000 tonnes by 2021.

But if domestic production increases by only five per cent each year, imports will be double from what they are now, and will account for almost 50 per cent of UK venison consumption by 2021.

SVP hopes to encourage more Scottish farmers to capitalise on the growing sector, but admits that it can be difficult to convince traditional livestock breeders to change.

“Deer management covers many facets,” said Mr Bewsher. “Not least deer welfare and maintaining a deer herd in good health, ensuring that deer numbers are sustainable in terms of the environment and other land uses, providing employment and, not least, ensuring supply of a healthy food.

“However, a study undertaken by PACEC consultants in 2014 found that deer management in Scotland overall contributes an estimated £140 million each year to the Scottish economy and supports 2,500 full-time jobs.”

‘‘ We import farmed venison because the UK cannot produce enough volume which gives consistency