December 3, 2025 • 10 mins
David Stevens looks at the ongoing situation around deer velvet exports and what hope there is for the industry moving forward.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
We're away to Neverdale at Balfer this afternoon. Catching up
with David Stevens of course has sign that you're tuned.
If he were, if he was a wrestler back in
the day with the w W Weaver would have been
a little bit of acadeck. A good afternoon, David.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
That good afternoon, Andy. Yes, I might have the sneak
over as you go and watch them actually.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Now out there at Balfer on the farm of course,
at nether Dale Health, things bean pretty good.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, we've just well we've just taken a lot of
silidjo actually, so we've had a reasonable growth thanks, probably
a weave a slow than in other years, but I
know we're taking you along and we don't have a
lot of deer here now, so all the deer farmers
out there that are doing valving will be into the
(00:55):
two year olds involving them at the moment. So it
all so probably trying to move a bit of velvet too,
which has been a bit weave, bit of a challenge
this year. That's been I think buyers are picking it up,
but a lot of them haven't put a price on
it yet and they've sort of given them a deposit
(01:18):
to just pick it up. So it's been a wee
bit of a challenge for the dear farmers that have
major velvet producers.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, the velveting situation, it's not a flash onund Eddie
Dennis was talking about it on Monday's show. But certainly
with South Korea and China being the two markets and
almost dictating what's happening, it hasn't been a very good situation.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
No, but that's I mean, we've been We've had some
good years, actually, Andy, and that's when China's started buying direct.
I know they do re export into Korea after they
process because obviously their processing is a lot cheaper than
what we can do it. But with China and direct
(02:05):
purchasing from here, it certainly helped the market over the
probably the last six eight years. So you know we've
done well with that. And of course what's happened is
that the velvet herdi has grown, so we've gone from
what we used to talk about back in my day.
In way back, four hundred ton was sort of the
(02:26):
max of what we could produce and actually keep a
reasonable price, and now we're looking at one thousand ton,
So you know, things have grown a lot and in
the market's grown also, so you know, we've been doing
reasonably well, but last year things fall back a bit.
(02:48):
Obviously COVID and China hasn't helped this sort of a
lag there with products sort of sitting in the market,
so they're in a position where typical poddity, you know,
the strength of you know, the power i should say,
has shifted from the producer to the to the market
(03:09):
those in the marketplace, so it's only affected things just
out there at the moment. They're probably talking around about
that for the top end, which is the traditional velvet,
around about the eighty dollars and there's probably not a
lot of that in the market really, it's probably only
about fifteen percent, and then you're looking at probably around
(03:31):
the fifty to sixty might even be slightly lower than that.
For the non traditional, say, you know, that big, big, heavy,
rough stuff not paying a lot for it. So but
to be fair, you know, we've always realized that the
marketplace has always wanted that tidy velvet. It's much easier
to process. The big rough stuff's hard to process and
(03:55):
it's a bit of a challenge. So you know, the
industry has changed a lot over those years with up
with a lot of super a velvet, which is the
big heavy stuff in the market now, and it's you know,
we're sort of paying the price for it now. So
I would imagine most people will be cutting quite early
this year, cutting the velvet early, and you know, in
(04:17):
the next couple of years, I can see the product
volumes actually reducing because people will be getting rid of
the big rough stags, the ones that grow the big
rough heads, and I'll probably send them to the processor
and then cut early on their good velvet. So I
would imagine the volume for the next couple of years
(04:39):
will drop back, and we may even see it drop
back to about eight hundred ton.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
That sounds like one of the industries that are still
being affected by COVID, given that it was five and
a half nearly five and three quarter years ago.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, it hungover in China though for some time after
everybody else, So you know, it's probably not the you know,
it's just part of what's happened really to the velvet price.
It's only part of it. I think the volume has
just got out of kilter with the market, and you know,
(05:13):
we need to either drop back or grow that market,
so that's had quite a huge effect really on the
prices this year.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
So how long do you see it, David, until supply
demand to meet it equel base.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I think if we start dropping back, you know, we
could be a couple of years out. I think depends.
This year is going to be very interesting just to
see where the volume ends up, just a total volume
with those changes. I know there's a number of people
that actually have sent old next day stags to the
(05:46):
works that are rougher. I think I made a comment
to you back sort of early winter that if I
was if I was still valveing large numbers, I would
probably go through and color out all those big old
stags with the rougher heads. And I mean, at that stage,
(06:06):
you know the schedule is very good, you get space.
I don't think that's the case now. It's space is
tightened right up. So it could be a challenge because
really with those older stags, you've got a situation unless
it're booked in it. You know, the rut comes around
and you can't actually shift them. So that'll be a
bit of a challenge as well. But it'll depend a
(06:28):
that on just it'll be interesting this year just to
see what the volume is at the end of the year,
but I would think a couple of years out anyhow.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I suppose one positive is the fake the venison schedules
remaining pretty buoyant.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yes, yeah, no, it is, and yeah I think. And
also that ELK market into the States, it's very good
and it looks as though it's going to hold up
right through sort of around that eleven dollars the case.
So that's pretty good going. It's a good market and
we need to look after it. So it's no. It's
(07:05):
been interesting in the sense that there's been a fair
bit of grumbling take place in the process of this
year with the changes of the grading system. Looking at
the grading myself personally, I think it's it's correct, but
I think the whole process is there hasn't been great.
(07:26):
You know. Really, if you're going to look at changing
the grades you need to take, that needs to take
place really in May so people are actually aware of things,
where the changes are and where things are going. So
it wasn't The process wasn't great. Personally, I think that
it was hijackted bit by some of the buyers. I
(07:49):
don't I wouldn't blame Din's for the outcome. I think
that they were hijacked a bit on the way through,
and I think it's a lesson to be that the
processes need to work with the producers in any changes
and it's something that we need to do in the
(08:10):
future actually, So I think the case of sitting down
really DINS is really only a facilitator and the producers
and the buyers should actually be making those decisions together
if they're changing the grades. So that's something we need
to look at really in the future.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Just finally, the New Zealand Velvet Awards. They're happening December
the eleventh at Scott Park. This is always a great time.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yes nn. This is the forty third Velvet and hard
Antler Awards, So it's a good Christmas do really, I
suppose for anybody who wants to come along. We've got
a guest speaker this year, Amy Scott, and I didn't
know much about her, but they say she's very good.
(08:59):
I think she brings along and tells me on a
buyer that energy, honesty and zero fluff. So I'm not
quite sure. Subject subjects are less friction, more fun, so
it could be an interesting night. So I'm not quite
sure whether she's from Central Central to Targo originally, but
it says that she's spent some time in wool Sheds
(09:21):
and Central Targo, So that could lead to anything, couldn't
it really, But no, it's a good night And if
anybody's wanting tickets, it's probably deer farmers are Probably The
easiest way to get a ticket actually is to ring
two seven three four seven eight nine fourth eight nine
(09:46):
two six and get older Jane if you want to
get a ticket, but also just give me a l
I can sort that out for them. The awards dinners
on the Thursday, I think it's the eleventh. Yeah, starts
at about five o'clock in the evening, so you know
it'll be a good night out.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Good on you, David. We always appreciate your time on
the muster, you living the family, enjoy the festive season,
and we'll catch up with you next time. All the
best for the awards next week as well.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Oh thanks Eddie, and I'd just like to wish you
a merry Christmas and hope you and the family have
a bit of time off and everybody out there is
just enjoy yourself. I know it's a very busy time
of the year and sometimes it's hard to sort of relax,
but no, enjoy Christmas and have a new year.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
At everybody, David Stevens, Dear farming a Baltha, you're listening
to the muster. Next we'll speak to our local MP,
of course, Joseph Moody in Peter, Southland.
We're away to Neverdale at Balfer this afternoon. Catching up
with David Stevens of course has sign that you're tuned.
If he were, if he was a wrestler back in
the day with the w W Weaver would have been
a little bit of acadeck. A good afternoon, David.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
That good afternoon, Andy. Yes, I might have the sneak
over as you go and watch them actually.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Now out there at Balfer on the farm of course,
at nether Dale Health, things bean pretty good.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah, we've just well we've just taken a lot of
silidjo actually, so we've had a reasonable growth thanks, probably
a weave a slow than in other years, but I
know we're taking you along and we don't have a
lot of deer here now, so all the deer farmers
out there that are doing valving will be into the
(00:55):
two year olds involving them at the moment. So it
all so probably trying to move a bit of velvet too,
which has been a bit weave, bit of a challenge
this year. That's been I think buyers are picking it up,
but a lot of them haven't put a price on
it yet and they've sort of given them a deposit
(01:18):
to just pick it up. So it's been a wee
bit of a challenge for the dear farmers that have
major velvet producers.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, the velveting situation, it's not a flash onund Eddie
Dennis was talking about it on Monday's show. But certainly
with South Korea and China being the two markets and
almost dictating what's happening, it hasn't been a very good situation.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
No, but that's I mean, we've been We've had some
good years, actually, Andy, and that's when China's started buying direct.
I know they do re export into Korea after they
process because obviously their processing is a lot cheaper than
what we can do it. But with China and direct
(02:05):
purchasing from here, it certainly helped the market over the
probably the last six eight years. So you know we've
done well with that. And of course what's happened is
that the velvet herdi has grown, so we've gone from
what we used to talk about back in my day.
In way back, four hundred ton was sort of the
(02:26):
max of what we could produce and actually keep a
reasonable price, and now we're looking at one thousand ton,
So you know, things have grown a lot and in
the market's grown also, so you know, we've been doing
reasonably well, but last year things fall back a bit.
(02:48):
Obviously COVID and China hasn't helped this sort of a
lag there with products sort of sitting in the market,
so they're in a position where typical poddity, you know,
the strength of you know, the power i should say,
has shifted from the producer to the to the market
(03:09):
those in the marketplace, so it's only affected things just
out there at the moment. They're probably talking around about
that for the top end, which is the traditional velvet,
around about the eighty dollars and there's probably not a
lot of that in the market really, it's probably only
about fifteen percent, and then you're looking at probably around
(03:31):
the fifty to sixty might even be slightly lower than that.
For the non traditional, say, you know, that big, big, heavy,
rough stuff not paying a lot for it. So but
to be fair, you know, we've always realized that the
marketplace has always wanted that tidy velvet. It's much easier
to process. The big rough stuff's hard to process and
(03:55):
it's a bit of a challenge. So you know, the
industry has changed a lot over those years with up
with a lot of super a velvet, which is the
big heavy stuff in the market now, and it's you know,
we're sort of paying the price for it now. So
I would imagine most people will be cutting quite early
this year, cutting the velvet early, and you know, in
(04:17):
the next couple of years, I can see the product
volumes actually reducing because people will be getting rid of
the big rough stags, the ones that grow the big
rough heads, and I'll probably send them to the processor
and then cut early on their good velvet. So I
would imagine the volume for the next couple of years
(04:39):
will drop back, and we may even see it drop
back to about eight hundred ton.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
That sounds like one of the industries that are still
being affected by COVID, given that it was five and
a half nearly five and three quarter years ago.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Yeah, it hungover in China though for some time after
everybody else, So you know, it's probably not the you know,
it's just part of what's happened really to the velvet price.
It's only part of it. I think the volume has
just got out of kilter with the market, and you know,
(05:13):
we need to either drop back or grow that market,
so that's had quite a huge effect really on the
prices this year.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
So how long do you see it, David, until supply
demand to meet it equel base.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I think if we start dropping back, you know, we
could be a couple of years out. I think depends.
This year is going to be very interesting just to
see where the volume ends up, just a total volume
with those changes. I know there's a number of people
that actually have sent old next day stags to the
(05:46):
works that are rougher. I think I made a comment
to you back sort of early winter that if I
was if I was still valveing large numbers, I would
probably go through and color out all those big old
stags with the rougher heads. And I mean, at that stage,
(06:06):
you know the schedule is very good, you get space.
I don't think that's the case now. It's space is
tightened right up. So it could be a challenge because
really with those older stags, you've got a situation unless
it're booked in it. You know, the rut comes around
and you can't actually shift them. So that'll be a
bit of a challenge as well. But it'll depend a
(06:28):
that on just it'll be interesting this year just to
see what the volume is at the end of the year,
but I would think a couple of years out anyhow.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
I suppose one positive is the fake the venison schedules
remaining pretty buoyant.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Yes, yeah, no, it is, and yeah I think. And
also that ELK market into the States, it's very good
and it looks as though it's going to hold up
right through sort of around that eleven dollars the case.
So that's pretty good going. It's a good market and
we need to look after it. So it's no. It's
(07:05):
been interesting in the sense that there's been a fair
bit of grumbling take place in the process of this
year with the changes of the grading system. Looking at
the grading myself personally, I think it's it's correct, but
I think the whole process is there hasn't been great.
(07:26):
You know. Really, if you're going to look at changing
the grades you need to take, that needs to take
place really in May so people are actually aware of things,
where the changes are and where things are going. So
it wasn't The process wasn't great. Personally, I think that
it was hijackted bit by some of the buyers. I
(07:49):
don't I wouldn't blame Din's for the outcome. I think
that they were hijacked a bit on the way through,
and I think it's a lesson to be that the
processes need to work with the producers in any changes
and it's something that we need to do in the
(08:10):
future actually, So I think the case of sitting down
really DINS is really only a facilitator and the producers
and the buyers should actually be making those decisions together
if they're changing the grades. So that's something we need
to look at really in the future.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Just finally, the New Zealand Velvet Awards. They're happening December
the eleventh at Scott Park. This is always a great time.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
Yes nn. This is the forty third Velvet and hard
Antler Awards, So it's a good Christmas do really, I
suppose for anybody who wants to come along. We've got
a guest speaker this year, Amy Scott, and I didn't
know much about her, but they say she's very good.
(08:59):
I think she brings along and tells me on a
buyer that energy, honesty and zero fluff. So I'm not
quite sure. Subject subjects are less friction, more fun, so
it could be an interesting night. So I'm not quite
sure whether she's from Central Central to Targo originally, but
it says that she's spent some time in wool Sheds
(09:21):
and Central Targo, So that could lead to anything, couldn't
it really, But no, it's a good night And if
anybody's wanting tickets, it's probably deer farmers are Probably The
easiest way to get a ticket actually is to ring
two seven three four seven eight nine fourth eight nine
(09:46):
two six and get older Jane if you want to
get a ticket, but also just give me a l
I can sort that out for them. The awards dinners
on the Thursday, I think it's the eleventh. Yeah, starts
at about five o'clock in the evening, so you know
it'll be a good night out.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Good on you, David. We always appreciate your time on
the muster, you living the family, enjoy the festive season,
and we'll catch up with you next time. All the
best for the awards next week as well.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Oh thanks Eddie, and I'd just like to wish you
a merry Christmas and hope you and the family have
a bit of time off and everybody out there is
just enjoy yourself. I know it's a very busy time
of the year and sometimes it's hard to sort of relax,
but no, enjoy Christmas and have a new year.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
At everybody, David Stevens, Dear farming a Baltha, you're listening
to the muster. Next we'll speak to our local MP,
of course, Joseph Moody in Peter, Southland.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.