Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
Fundamentally the UK venison market is totally buggered
1) minimal domestic market because most in the British isles think venison is just the food of the Toffs and not for them. Price of venison products in retail rather reinforces this. And what venison you can get is from a rutting stag that has been left for several days so frankly it tastes utterly rank.
There have been attempts to try and rectify this view but to be honest they have been rather half hearted.
2) any attempts at promoting venison have been all about health benefits, yet most game meat also contains health warnings about potential lead contamination. So when Mrs Britain gets over the shock of the price she reads this and puts it back on the shelf.
3) monopoly - Forestry and land Scotland have entered into a contract with Highland Game, where the latter will take all venison regardless of quality but at a very low price. And FLS are paying millions for contractors to shoot as many deer as possible.
4) we now have no export market. The cluster **** of the withdrawal agreement meant that we shut ourselves off from the main markets for much of our venison, and many other rural food products, and buyers in Europe have found much easier alternative supply chains that doesn’t involve expensive veterinary checks etc. and trucks getting stuck at the border.
5) state of our economy - yes a few have plenty of cash in their pocket, but many don’t. Restaurant trade took a lot of venison, but people are not eating out and hence this trade is suffering.
6) vast oversupply - deer are no longer valued. The bearded ones now buying up lots of land, they no feck all about rural management, but want everything rewilded so all deer are being shot on sight. This leads to massive oversupply.
7) and we have allowed our village shops, especially butchers to all disappear. Supermarkets dominate. And they want vacuum packed identical product 365 days a year that tastes and looks the same. Supermarket buyers don’t understand seasonal variation etc.
8) So fundamentally we have a vast oversupply, no ready market domestically and no export market for our prime product’s.
And even trying to give it away is fraught with all sorts of clip board warriors trying to impose all sorts of regulations etc.
I am sure there is a domestic market for good quality and affordable venison. It involves stalkers working closely with local butchers, restaurants and households. But it takes time and effort. You can’t simply through half a dozen carcasses in the pick up and drop them at the dealer and get your money a few months later.
1) minimal domestic market because most in the British isles think venison is just the food of the Toffs and not for them. Price of venison products in retail rather reinforces this. And what venison you can get is from a rutting stag that has been left for several days so frankly it tastes utterly rank.
There have been attempts to try and rectify this view but to be honest they have been rather half hearted.
2) any attempts at promoting venison have been all about health benefits, yet most game meat also contains health warnings about potential lead contamination. So when Mrs Britain gets over the shock of the price she reads this and puts it back on the shelf.
3) monopoly - Forestry and land Scotland have entered into a contract with Highland Game, where the latter will take all venison regardless of quality but at a very low price. And FLS are paying millions for contractors to shoot as many deer as possible.
4) we now have no export market. The cluster **** of the withdrawal agreement meant that we shut ourselves off from the main markets for much of our venison, and many other rural food products, and buyers in Europe have found much easier alternative supply chains that doesn’t involve expensive veterinary checks etc. and trucks getting stuck at the border.
5) state of our economy - yes a few have plenty of cash in their pocket, but many don’t. Restaurant trade took a lot of venison, but people are not eating out and hence this trade is suffering.
6) vast oversupply - deer are no longer valued. The bearded ones now buying up lots of land, they no feck all about rural management, but want everything rewilded so all deer are being shot on sight. This leads to massive oversupply.
7) and we have allowed our village shops, especially butchers to all disappear. Supermarkets dominate. And they want vacuum packed identical product 365 days a year that tastes and looks the same. Supermarket buyers don’t understand seasonal variation etc.
8) So fundamentally we have a vast oversupply, no ready market domestically and no export market for our prime product’s.
And even trying to give it away is fraught with all sorts of clip board warriors trying to impose all sorts of regulations etc.
I am sure there is a domestic market for good quality and affordable venison. It involves stalkers working closely with local butchers, restaurants and households. But it takes time and effort. You can’t simply through half a dozen carcasses in the pick up and drop them at the dealer and get your money a few months later.
