Over the last ten years, UK retail sales of venison have steadily grown. Scotland produces an estimated 3,600 tonnes of venison per annum, of which around 3,500 tonnes comes from the wild red deer cull, but this is insufficient to meet market demand. Most roe venison either goes for export, local sales or for consumption by the hunter, family and friends. Only 100 tonnes of Scottish-produced venison currently comes from farmed deer. Consequently, imports from New Zealand, Poland, Ireland and Spain are filling the vacuum created by market demand.

There is a drive in Scotland to encourage increased production of Scottish farmed venison and in so doing reduce the UK's reliance on imports. It is estimated that an additional 1200 tonnes of venison will be required to keep step with demand. Achieving such a 24-fold increase in Scottish farmed venison by 2020 is highly challenging.

Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing is taking a keen interest in Scottish venison, wild and farmed. He called a venison summit involving all areas of the sector in February this year, and following that meeting a strategic plan for Scottish venison, "Beyond the Glen", was launched in September to fit with the Scotland Food and Drink Strategy 2030.

Beyond the Glen envisages that increasing Scottish production through new farmed deer enterprises will help to meet market demand and support UK market growth with the aim to raise Scottish farmed venison production from 100 tonnes to 850 tonnes by 2030.

Further supporting the venison case, market analysts Mintel reported that by the end of 2015 UK game meat sales reached £106m, up from £98m in 2014, with growth expected to continue and forecast to hit £143m by 2020.

Encouraging farmers to consider deer as an enterprise will not be easy. It is estimated there are currently over 90 agricultural holdings with deer in Scotland, but possibly only 40 of these have deer/venison as an important revenue stream. There are around another six in development at the moment.

According to SAC's very informative Farm Management Handbook, the required increase to meet demand could be achievable if the relative profitability of farmed deer were to improve compared to beef and sheep. Much will depend on what changes to agricultural support and trade access are made following Brexit and whether these create opportunities for new enterprises such as deer farming.

Historically deer farming did not attract support payments and subsidies putting it at a disadvantage to cattle and sheep farming. However, the reformed CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) regime now enables deer farmers to claim support payments under the Basic Payment Scheme.

The main barriers to people entering deer farming are the start-up costs which are estimated at upwards of £50,000 for a 100 hind breeding herd. It is reckoned that the minimum herd size to be profitable is 150 hinds. Red deer breeding hinds will generally cost between £300 and £1,000 for pedigree stock with breeding stags costing from £500-£2,000. Then there are significant like deer fencing and specialist handling facilities.

Other barriers include access to an abattoir, knowing where to obtain limited breeding stock and specialist knowledge relating to the industry. Some of these barriers are being addressed with a dedicated abattoir opened in Fife and funding of projects such as the Deer Farm and Park Demonstration Project which are helping spread knowledge about the sector.

Once set up, there is a relatively low labour demand for deer farming meaning that it may fit well with existing livestock or arable enterprises.

The current market is not just for venison but for breeding hinds as well, with virtually all hind calves bred in Scotland now either being retained to grow own herds, or sold on to new enterprises. TB free Scotland has real added value in terms of providing future stock, and with the ELISA test for TB being taken forward in Scotland as part of the Beyond the Glen strategy then it will give Scottish breeding hinds enhanced health status in that market.

There is also an opportunity to sell antlers that are in demand from furniture and lighting manufacturers as well as for the lucrative Chinese medicine.

Dumfries & Galloway deer farmer Rupert Shaw established an export link for deer antlers into the Far East sending the first container load last August. Depending on condition they're worth about £16/kg and a pair of antlers can weigh more than 15kg.