Newsletter No 40 – July 2006, Item 2b

Tonnages in Europe and North America are amazingly similar for the period, see Figure 3 (below)

Oceania’s tonnage at only 10% of European tonnage is proportionate to the differences in population in the two regions.

“South Asia” and “East and South East Asia” combined was 4million tonnes, 26% of European consumption in 1961, increasing to 28m tonnes, 58% of European consumption by 2001.

In contrast, Asia as a group recorded consumption of 9million tonnes, 52% of European consumption in 1961.  By 2001 this tonnage had increased to 97million tonnes, 281% of European consumption. Examined more closely, it can be seen that when China is separated from the rest of Asia, the remainder of Asian tonnage in 2001 is very similar to that of Europe and North America, with China dominant in the region at 66million metric tonnes, 190% of European consumption.

Figure 3 – Regional Meat Consumption as a % of European Meat Consumption

Europe and the US combined by 2001 have fallen from 50% of world meat consumption in 1961 to only 30% in 2001, but their total tonnage consumed has more than doubled in the same period.

These figures clearly demonstrate consumption increasing faster in the developing regions, with China showing the fastest growth.