Venison continues to buck red meat trend in New Zealand

The chilled venison market continues to hold up in Europe with marketers reporting strong demand for New Zealand venison, which is supporting contract prices up to $10.50 a kilogram. Despite a slow spring season, farmgate prices are expected to settle at off-season levels reflecting the venison market’s recovery. Lower numbers of animals through the wet and cold weather of September and October made it the latest spring finishing ever seen by some processors across much of NZ. The slow growth has limited supplies this spring, meaning some customers have missed out on volumes. Venison specialist Duncan NZ general manager marketing and operations Rob Kidd reported through Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) that the company has achieved sales agreements for expected volumes and prices at the start of the season but deadlines to get venison sea-freighted to Europe by Christmas have passed, meaning the marketer will have to make up any balances by air. This could be around 10 times the cost of ...