THE WORLD'S MEAT SUPPLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15511, 11 January 1911, Page 11

THE WORLD'S MEAT SUPPLY.

A review of the world's meat, supply, from details supplied -by: tile most recent available figures, illustrates, amongst other things, the. position’-that Argentina is apparently destined- to occupy as the grand purveyor of. meat to Europe. ‘ ' According to tjie census taken-.-.in 1908, the live-stock of Argentina then amounted to ' 29,118,623 cattle, 67,211,761 sheep, .7.631,376.. liorSdSi 750,125 - mules and donkeys, 3,945.08(1 goats and 1,403,591 pigs, The accompanying - fable kljows, the estimated number of cattle, sheep and pigs.in each of.tlie principal countries of the world:—

Total -122,000 560,000 3.42,1® 000 omitted.' ’ Ths-so millions of .cattle, sheep and pigs are not distributed' throughout the world in such a way as to respond to the necessities of each country'.; consequently, those/which,' from'density of population or other'cause, are .unable to supply local requiremerita, import from others 'that havo an available surphis. Of the latter, 1 be only -countries in a condition to carry on a permanent ex-

portation trade on anything Tib© a/siiflh cieutly large -scale, are the yUnites Stated.. Canadas -Argentina, and.;L-Ak> ■tralasia. ... .. Ai It has been stated that "Australasia has very nearly reached the limit' of her production. This i&, however,'-quite erroneous. A ustralasia could, if necessary, doxtble or treble- her live stock with perfect ease. Nevertheless Argentina, is looked upon in North' America ns' the moat important competitor . irif the United States, • "'/ ' Further, the supply available, for exportation ' from the last-named country 1b raidly decreasing. Out of. 3,700,006 tons produced annually, not less than 8,000,000 ar.e required for local consumption. With a rapidly growing population, and a grazing area that, owing to the necessities of cultivation, is continually becoming less, there ii small probability of the export, output of tile United States asfiutnlng larger proportions: - ■lt. may be observed that nearly 75 per cent of the meat exported, frm a the States consists of pork, bacon and porcine products. It. follows, therefore, that' as .regards the beef and mutton export trade,' the probabilities . are that Argentina will take first place. Canada 1* in a similar position to the United States,' while the great-distance of Australasia-from European ports must c.hvnyg prove a handicap. ■ ■ . • The principal importing countries are the United Kingdom. Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium:''Aus-tria-Hungary, Denmark, Italy,' 'Rns&af, "Norway." Sweden, Spain aittl. Oubat The - value of importations:: comes •: ‘drip nbont £90,000,000 per annum; . but -the demand is steadily increasing. . -Hence, provided Argentina continued to. devote the same attention to breeding stddk of high' quality that she has hitherto done, and .is careful to fjtatnp out. contagious diseases es soon as make their appearance., it would Sgjiif& that our estancierw have .s' roseate future before them. " ..y

Cattle., Sheep. PigsHa*t J udice '. .. 8e,92t ' 21-.2OT United States . '■ ■ 72,534 4 53,240 4 .'34,791 Russia. in' Asia . 10,261 -24,831'' 1 1.851 Russia ill Europo .. 37,667 63,830' 11,871 Argentina . .29,1-17 67,2V?:. J..404 Germany. - - .... . ■ 19,832 ■ 7.907-.-18,92). Austria-Hungary . . - .17,731 13,975:..' 19,676 Franco . . • 14,316' 17;782' 7,560 'United Kingdom 11,692 29,210 3,581 Australia r . 8,226 74.404 1.015 Canada ,■ . 7,262 2.972 2,876 Uruguay 6.826 '18,600 91 Italy . ... 5,000 6,5100 i ,300 Now Zealand 1.611 39,T31 250 Cape of Good Hope 1-934 11.818 4 886 Mexico .V . 5,113 3,126 "816 Spain . .. _ *- 2,075 . 1S,020_ 1.750 Roumanift - . - 2,545 -o',606' 1,710 Turkey, Crete. . etc. i.OOO o5,600 — Algiers 1,067 \ 9,063 .02 Bulgaria . T.59o " ,8,'OSt: 4 46.?# Portugal • . SIT .3.064 1,200 Other countries.. < 4 72.206 34,730 • 17,722