New Zealand: New Zealand Deer Production and Trends

New Zealand is by far the largest exporter of deer meat and products in the world. The first commercial deer farm in New Zealand was established in the early 1970s and since then, the industry has grown into an on-average NZ$280 million (US$175 million) per year export earner for the country’s agricultural sector. The primary exports derived from deer are venison meat, velvet, and other various unique co-products. The United States continues to be the largest importer of New Zealand venison, while China is the largest consumer of the velvet and co-products. The deer industry is beginning to recover from a fall in export earnings as a result of COVID-19 impacts in key importing countries, and is also facing having to adapt to new Government environmental regulations in New Zealand.