MEAT SUPPLY FOR UROPE

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25713, 27 January 1949, Page 6

MEAT SUPPLY FOR UROPE

“IMPROVEMENT UNLIKELY THIS YEAR”

Europe’s supply of meat in the next few years depends not only on the exportable surplus available, but also on her ability either to obtain the currency with which to buy meat or to increase her own domestic production, says the "Financial Times” in a review of world meat supplies. The major meat exporting countries are Canada, New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, Brazil, and the United States of America. The principal meat importer is Europe, and predominantly the United Kingdom. Before the war Europe, with the comparatively minor exceptions of France and Germany, was near self-sufficient in meat and a substantial exporter of bacon. But the war reduced livestock numbers by almost onethird, affecting most severely Eastern Europe, the Netherlands, Italy, and to a lesser extent Sweden, France, Belgium, and Denmark. Plans were made at the end of the war for the rebuilding of the livestock population, but these were checked by the shortage of feeding stuffs. Heavy livestock slaughtering, particularly in Sweden and the Netherlands, the severe winter of 1946-47, and the drought of the following summer postponed any return to the near self-sufficiency of prewar.

Cattle numbers, reduced by some 10 per cent, during th® war, dropped even further with the adverse conditions of 194647. The fall in sheep numbers, although proportionately greater, was less punitive since mutton and lamb production in Europe is relatively small. Although some recovery is being made this year, principally in pig numbers, it will be probably two or three years before Europe can meet her own needs to the same extent as she did pre-war. Australia and New Zealand continue to be the major source of meat for Britain. In the first nine months of 1948 the production of beef and veal in Australia was approximately 14 per cent, higher than in the same period of 1947. The drought in West Queensland and Northern Territory, however, has caused heavy stock losses and supplies of carcase meat in 1948 are unlikely to exceed 50 per cent, of those of 1947.

In New Zealand the output of beef in 1947-48 was below that of the previous year, while increased lamb production was not sufficient to offset the fall in mutton output. In, spite of this, however, New Zealand remains a strong supplier. Exports to this country have been at Hie rate .of 300*000 tqns a year, 100,000 tons more than -{pre-war. The prospects for world meat supplies, therefore, is that any improvement this year is unlikely. Cattle numbers can be built up only slowly. Pig production is increasing swiftly in several European countries, but exportable surpluses can only be small in 1949. ,