Pandemic increases demand for deer velvet

Stags on a deer velvet farm in North Canterbury Photo / RNZ - Maja Burry

By Sally Murphy of RNZ

Strong demand for deer velvet has pushed up returns for farmers 20 per cent higher than last season.

As well as farming for venison, many deer farmers harvest velvet and export it to Asian markets, where it's believed to have healing properties.

Deer Industry New Zealand markets manager Rhys Griffiths said the pandemic has increased demand for health food products including velvet.

"It's another season where we've seen some pretty good growth, in tonnage terms, we are now just under a thousand tonnes so it's doubled in the last 10 years.

"In terms of value this season, we are going to be at over $100 million of farmgate returns which is pretty decent for our farmers, that's about 20 per cent up on where things were last year."

Griffiths said increased marketing and the use of social media influencers had also helped drive demand.

But he said the season, which is nearly complete, has not come without difficulties.

"Exporters have had to work really hard and it's probably been a bit stressful at times with having to kind of work with the threat of Covid with employees and luckily, none of it happened in the velvet industry that they were aware.

"But also trying to place product into market and trying to get around the logistics, the complicated economy logistics things that we've found this year."

Griffiths said disruptions would continue this year but the industry was hopeful shipping delays would reduce.

- RNZ