Bigger plant as deer herd grows

By PHILIPPA STEVENSON agricultural editor

Richmond will expand chiller and boning facilities at its Te Kauwhata venison plant in a bid to meet a forecast growth in North Island deer numbers.

The company converted the north Waikato plant from beef around three years ago and now plans to spend $440,000 to lift throughput 38 per cent to 250 deer a day.

The expansion, due for completion in November, will create seven new jobs.

Chief executive John Loughlin said the investment would position Richmond to take advantage of forecasted strong growth in venison.

Game Industry Board figures show the deer herd increasing 12 per cent a year for the next three years.

Richmond is the largest processor of venison in the North Island. Its major shareholder, South Island meat company PPCS, has the ability, in combination with Richmond, to handle about 85 per cent of the national deer kill.

PPCS is being investigated by the Commerce Commission after it bought Rotorua-based Mair Venison in April then on-sold 81 per cent to a newly registered company with close links to PPCS.

Two Hawkes Bay deer farmers, Tim Aitken and John Spiers, concerned at PPCS dominance in deer processing, laid the complaint with the commission.

Meanwhile, Richmond is also spending $150,000 to improve office facilities at its Dargaville beef plant.

The company also has expansion projects under way at its Dannevirke Oringi lamb plant and Hastings Pacific beef operation.