Antlers en route to China from Scottish venison producers
A shipment of Scottish red deer antlers has started its 35-day journey from Dumfries and Galloway to the Far East, to supply medicinal products in Hong Kong.
Rupert Shaw on farm at Gledpark with Janis Varklas of VP Holdings, Hong Kong, following the loading of the 20ft container with red deer antlers.
The shipment, organised by Kirkcudbrightshire deer farmer Rupert Shaw, left Gledpark Farm, Borgue on 11th August for Grangemouth before traveling by sea to Hong Kong.
Having identified a potential buyer for the antlers through his website, a year-long process saw Shaw go on to secure the necessary export licence for the load and the complete the deal.
Most of the red deer antlers in the shipment came from Gledpark’s herd of farmed deer with several other Scottish venison producers contributing antlers to fill the container.
Antlers, exclusively found on stags, are cast annually and can be collected. Producers of Chinese medicine have valued Scottish red deer antler at up to £16 per kg in Scotland, depending on antler condition, colour, cleanliness and age.
The export is described as ‘an important development for the region’, and future shipments to Hong Kong are already being planned.
Shaw, who is also NFU Scotland’s regional chairman in Dumfries and Galloway, said: “Although it is early days, the potential demand for Scottish deer antlers in Chinese medicinal products could represent a very valuable market for those who are already producing venison, or are planning to keep deer in the future.
“At current prices of up to £16 per kg of antler, and many adult stags casting a set of antlers that could weigh more than 15kg, there is a valuable return to be gained if we can secure a foothold in this market.”
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