The deer industry history has been characterised by boom and bust cycles, as this new animal industry endeavoured to develop a significant position in NZ's livestock base.
Numbers have fallen significantly from earlier highs, but are now at levels where demand is struggling to be satisfied. Both products prices of venison and velvet are at sustainable levels, and the challenge for DINZ will be encourage growing volumes at reasonable prices.
The new chairman Andy MacFarlane has bought a fresh approach to this industry, looking for better on farm productivity, and ideas how deer can fit in with other livestock classes.
Farmer not willing or able to invest in the dairy sector, should be looking how deer can fit into their farming operation, and how it would diversify the livestock portfolio.
An expected shortfall in NZ venison production this season because of a drop in deer numbers should lead to prices stabilising and possibly rising, Southland deer farmers were told last week. Deer Industry NZ venison marketing manager Innes Moffat said with venison production expected to be similar to last season, there would be a gap between demand and supply. Last year the shortfall was met by stored surplus from the previous season but because that buffer had been used, it was unclear how the gap would be filled this year so prices should remain high, Mr Moffat said.
Indications were that restaurant sales, NZ production, prices, and importers' expectations were "stable to improving", he said. DINZ chairman Andy Macfarlane echoed a call by Alliance Group chairman Owen Poole for farmers to pick and support one meat processor to remove uncertainty from the industry reports The Southland Times.
Mr Macfarlane said DINZwas creating working groups to explore areas such as animal health, genetics, feeding, the environment, processing, and farm management, with the goal to find ways to boost on-farm productivity to ensure the industry was still making money in 10 to 20 years. The organisation's goal was to inspire the NZ deer industry to profitably grow and market the world's best red meat by the premium positioning of venison, he said.
While the industry had shrunk in the past few years, base numbers suggested that had bottomed out and farmer confidence was growing – deer remained competitive and had a niche in farming in NZ, Mr Macfarlane said. It was no longer a question of the deer sector competing with dairy, but looking at how deer farming fitted in with other livestock classes, he said.
No chart with that title exists.
We welcome your comments below. If you are not already registered, please register to comment
Remember we welcome robust, respectful and insightful debate. We don't welcome abusive or defamatory comments and will de-register those repeatedly making such comments. Our current comment policy is here.