Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Why are we importing New Zealand venison?
Shopper is astounded to find the imported venison on sale marked ‘Highland Game’ and endorsed by Forestry and Land Scotland
A Scottish farmer has expressed dismay after finding New Zealand venison in a pack marked ‘Highland Game’ and apparently endorsed by Forestry and Land Scotland. Sybil Macpherson took to Facebook after spotting the product in her local supermarket.
In a post accompanied by a photograph, Mrs Macpherson said: “I was surprised and disappointed to read the label on this venison for sale yesterday. Why, when we have ample supplies of Scottish venison available, is Tesco selling imported meat labelled ‘Highland Game working with Forestry and Land Scotland’?”
Shooting Times has been aware for some time of reports that Dundee-based company Highland Game has been continuing to import significant volumes of venison from New Zealand, despite a stubbornly low price for domestic venison.
Farmed venison is preferred by some producers as carcasses are more consistent than those of wild deer, making processing easier and final products more reliable. The
New Zealand deer industry exported venison worth NZ$198 million (£101 million) in 2018 and there are currently nearly 900,000 deer on New Zealand farms.
The NZ government does not publish statistics on venison exports. However, the Scottish Venison Association estimates the UK imports 3,000 tonnes a year.
Forestry and Land Scotland is Scotland’s national forestry agency and is the UK’S largest producer of venison, due to its extensive regime of culling wild deer.
Highland Game did not reply to our request for comment in time for publication. However, on its website the company explains that “Highland Game is the biggest processor and marketer of UK venison. To support our business requirements out of season and thereby provide customers with all-year-round availability, specific to the scale of retail, we operate supply partnerships with best-in-class suppliers from New Zealand.”
Forestry and Land Scotland didn’t see it as a problem and told us: “We are proud to
THEY SAID WHAT
“We have ample supplies of Scottish meat so why is Tesco selling imported venison?”
be working with Highland Game and other venison producers to support and grow the venison processing sector in Scotland.
“We openly tender our venison supply and through this process encourage partners to work with us and retailers to grow Scottish consumer awareness of venison.”
Shooting Times understands many deer managers struggle to get a viable price for wild venison because large game dealers still have extensive frozen stock.