FRENCH MEAT SUPPLY

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 4 September 1915, Page 2

FRENCH MEAT SUPPLY

According to the Breeders' Gazette, the continual increase m price of meat in France is causing much public intevest. The Government has just passed an important project of "law which is destined greatly to relieve the situation; In the name of the agricultural commission authorised to study the question and report, M. Adrian Dariac gave some statistics of great moment. He said that the annual consumption of beef alone has greatly increased on account of the war. This increase has reached 400,000 tons; that is, about 1,200,000 head of cattle. The French herds of cattle, already greatly reduced by the military requisitioning of beef on the hoof, cannot longer support the increased consumption. The Ministry of War at present possesses contracts for a total quantity of 240,000 tons of beef, to he delivered from now on to the end of February. This amount is insufficient. Offers have been made to supply 120,000 tons annually of chilled find frozen beef, . but tho navigation companies will only consent to deliver this amount at French ports on the condition that the contract shall last for five years. The Ministry of War has acceded to this, provided that the surplus not required by the military may bo utilised by the civil population. The Government has agreed to this; in fact, to conserve the French bevds the latter has decided to buy foreign beef in large quantities. It is expected thnt the five-year contract will enable France to breed xio her herds to the same number as before the war.