DEMAND FOR MEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19149, 15 October 1925, Page 18

DEMAND FOR MEAT.

OPTSiVnSTiG OPINIONS. The evidence of the meat trade shows that the period of superabundance in meat- supply is past, and probably for ever. The vital factor to-day is the world call for meat. The truth is that the vegetarian has been counted out. Not only is Asia becoming a meat eater, but Continental peoples find meat necessary if they are to keen fit while working hard. And work hard they find they must, if the frightful loss of wealth and material caused by the war is to be repaired Six years after the war Britain alone > y ins: her debts and her way. The depre ciated money of the entire Continent means harder work for less pay, <.nd the Continental nations are facing pi blc-m manfully. They are working harder and thev are doing the work on increased meat returns. Now we have to ask ourselves this question: Do meat eaters go back to a poorer diet ? We know that thev do not, and the Continent, as inch bv inch it regains prosperity by labour, will rather augment than reduce its daily ounces of beef and pork in summer and %V The interesting essay contributed by a leading English expert to the curient issue of the Edinburgh Review, sheds a good deal of light on the position of the United States. Prosperity m the States is precarious and much controller bv the railway freights, while labour is difficult to hire farmers sons stick less and less to the farm. Cattle are not popular with the poorer men who are the vast majority; nor is this to be wondered at. for Americans are extremely individualistic. If a man's cattle die, they die. No slaughtering order carries a substantial cheque from State bunds. Io a .mill man a wave of infectious disease means rum, and where disease is virtually endemic insurance is a burden that-makes profit dubious, even in a good yean Jhe American herds are decreasing at the rate of 430,000 yearly ; this is siight,of course, but population increases by ZZW a cuy, the United States, therefore, are buying more and more beef every iponlh and thev are acquiring large interests Argentina for sheer home needs quite outside speculative investment. The net conclusion is that meat shows every likelihood of increasing steadily in demand, at prices which will afford producers a reasonable profit.