The Scottish Government is funding research to help Scotland’s venison producers and processors gain better understanding of the UK venison market, its challenges and opportunities.

Bill Bewsher, chair of the Scottish Venison Association, believes that demand is outstripping supply in the UK. Imports from New Zealand are declining and Bewsher thinks market growth is constrained due to a shortage of product from both wild and farmed deer.

“The research that we can now commission with the support of the Scottish Government will give us precise and current data on the state of the UK retail venison market.

This market insight will be incredibly helpful in identifying commercial opportunities

"We hope also to undertake work across the catering/food service sectors, as well as some basic, long overdue polling of consumer attitudes to venison, to be repeated annually to assess developing trends.

"This market insight will be incredibly helpful in identifying commercial opportunities and move the whole sector up a gear – which is vital.”

Scotland currently produces around 3,500t of wild venison and 70t of farmed venison per year. A report by Moredun Research Institute and Edinburgh University into the health of Scotland’s wild deer is due to be published in the coming months.