Who deers wins : building relationships in the supply chain

The New Zealand Deer Industry has rather a unique history. Kiwi ingenuity at its best, pioneers seeing a pest in the wild as an opportunity to deliver wealth. That vision continues to this day with deer now being farm raised to create a premium product. It has been a concern over the past five years that deer numbers are shrinking due to other competing land use options such as dairy, rising sheep and beef values and a perceived lack of profitability in deer by outsiders. Although the industry has shrugged off the unsustainable high returns from the early 2000’s followed by a sharp drop in prices straight after, there appears to be an apprehensiveness to enter or expand in the deer industry. The ability for breeders, unable to finish stock through to slaughter, to have stable profitability by selling weaner deer has been spasmodic. Margins for finishing weaner deer has been far from consistent too. With industry numbers declining, in some cases finisher’s supply of weaner deer has vanished, leaving the finisher to find other weaner deer unfamiliar to them as a replacement, or change farming practice. In this study I have focussed on venison production and the venison supply chain. I have briefly covered the other revenue streams, but will concentrate on the area of venison and building stronger relationships throughout the supply chain. Relationships of most influence, is the breeder, finisher through to processor, as I believe it is farmers that can bring about the need for stable profitability and possible change.