BRITISH MEAT IMPORTS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27987, 6 June 1956, Page 17

BRITISH MEAT IMPORTS

BIG INCREASE THIS YEAR

British imports of fresh and chilled meat in the first quarter of this year were more than double those in the grst three months of 1955, according to figures in the latest monthly bulletin of A. J. Mills and Company, LtdTooley street merchants. Imports of frozen or salted meat were slightly lower, while domestic production increased slightly. Total imports of fresh and chilled meat for the quarter were 68,900 tons, compared with only 31.400 tons in the same period of 1955. Of this class of imports, beef accounted for 65,000 tons. Frozen and salted meat imnorts totalled 198.900 tons, against 202.000 tons a year before., and of these, beef accounted for 55.900 tons and mutton and lamb for 119.500 tons.

Including stocks in store, the total supply during the period was 714.400 tons, against 760,500 tons a year before. Domestic consumption in the same period was 589,000 tons, against 588.200 tons.

Over half the consumption during the' period consisted of beef (299,300 tons), of which 62 per cent, was home produced and 21 per cent, imported chilled. Nearly 95 per cent, of the pork consumed - (107,000 tons) was produced in Britain, but only one-third of the mutton and lamb consumption (128,200 tons) was from domestic flocks.