Venison prices rise

This year's spring peak in venison prices to deer farmers will be the highest in four or five seasons even if further currency appreciation "knocks the top off'', Deer Industry New Zealand says.

On June 13, the average stag venison schedule stood at $7.55kg, versus $6.67 a year before, an increase of 13%, despite a steady firming of the New Zealand dollar against the US dollar and euro in recent months.

Like all export industries, the deer industry was concerned about the apparent inability of the Reserve Bank to ease the pressure on the dollar, Dinz Passion2Profit manager Innes Moffat said.

Frozen stocks in the European market were cleared in 2015, stimulating the higher venison prices received last year.

This year, exporters were managing their customers' requirements by warning that shipments would be down on previous years.

Venison production to April was down 20% on the same period last year, driven by herd rebuilding, with the hind kill down 25%, creating some major issues in both processing and marketing.

Venison exporters and Dinz were promoting new cuts to chefs to increase returns from the whole deer carcass and to help keep venison on restaurant menus.

A big part of the challenge was the widening price gap between venison and other premium proteins, Mr Moffat said.

South African ostrich, a European game season substitute for venison, had also regained market access.

Dinz consultant chef Graham Brown said there was a growing trend for chefs to incorporate cuts from the shoulder, neck and brisket and even offal such as hearts, livers, sweetbreads and tongues, into their menus.

ANZ's latest Agri Focus said last year's weaner numbers were back a further 6%, indicating the number of stags available would be lower again.

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