‘Scotland needs 20-fold increase in deer farms’

SCOTLAND needs a 20-fold increase in deer farms to 500 in order to meet market demand and cut its imports, according to an industry body.

The Scottish Venison Partnership (SVP), which brings together private estates and public bodies, said Scotland produced about 3,500 tonnes of deer meat a year from shooting wild animals and from existing farms.

A further 1,000 tonnes are imported from New Zealand and Europe to meet a growing appetite from restaurants and now supermarkets.

While some imports will always be needed to meet demand out of season, the SVP said Scotland could lose out on the growth in the lucrative market.

UK sales of venison rose from £32 million into 2006 to £43m in 2009, the latest year for which figures are available.

Stephen Gibbs, chairman of the SVP, said: “We have a huge opportunity here to capitalise on growing demand, not just in the UK but globally too, where Scottish venison is seen as a world-class, high-quality food.”

The SVP said it was preparing a report into the economics surrounding farm expansion and that it would look to have two or three pilot projects up and running within about one year.