Deer industry sets a five year plan

The central aim of the NZ venison industry's latest five-year plan is to improve links between producers and the market. The strategy, with its revised objectives, was unveiled to delegates at last week's Deer Industry Conference in Palmerston North reports The Rural News. DINZ venison services marketing manager Innes Moffit says this means each link in the supply chain provides their customers with what they want, when they want it, knowing that they will receive an adequate return. For processing and marketing companies it means developing mechanisms to obtain greater certainty of supply of the right types of animals at the right times of year, Moffit says. "˜It's having the certainty of supply to be able to commit to marketing programmes to boost demand for NZ venison. "˜For our international customers it's helping them choose New Zealand venison because it meets their needs and they look for it, meaning they will pay a premium for it. "˜From better linkages comes better stability, better mutual understanding and improved long-term profitability.' "˜These objectives have been discussed, debated and agreed on by venison processing and marketing companies, producer representatives and the DINZ board.' An essential part of the strategy is to continue to promote venison as a top quality meat, so that it can continue to demand a premium price over competing meats. Moffit says more action is needed to reduce volatility in the market. Moffit says the venison industry has a great opportunity to improve profitability by improving on-farm productivity."˜We know that national fawning rates are sub-optimal and that there are systems in operation that can substantially boost production for little or no more inputs.'