206 CONSUMPTION 



be supplemented by supplies of other forms of animal foodstuffs in 

 addition to cereals, fruits, and other vegetable foods. 1 



The above table shows that there exist great differences in the 

 per capita rates of meat consumption in different countries. The 

 greatest extremes occur between the countries placed at the head 

 and those placed at the bottom of the table. The two first, namely, 

 Australia and New Zealand, have an extraordinarily high meat 

 consumption, due to the great abundance of local supplies coupled 

 with but moderate supplies of poultry products, and relatively 

 small supplies of fish. 2 The quantities of meat consumed in these 

 countries are probably excessive, and the per capita rate is more 

 likely to diminish than increase with the growth of a more complex 

 standard of living. 



The United States, in spite of a recent decline, 3 still shows a high 

 per capita rate of meat consumption. The American consumption of 

 poultry products, dairy products and of fish is also considerable. 4 

 The causes of this great consumption of animal foodstuffs by the 

 population of the United States are, firstly, the habits of living 

 derived from earlier times of great abundance, and secondly, the 

 prevailing high level of incomes and wages. This high standard 

 found in the United States affords, as already noted, some indication 

 of the possible increases in less favoured countries should the 

 general purchasing power and the extent of the available supplies 

 permit it. 



1 If 3,400 calories in energy value of food be taken as the minimum require- 

 ment per man per day and 100 persons of mixed population be taken as 

 equivalent to 77 men, then the minimum requirement for a mixed population 

 would be 2,618 calories. The equivalent of 93 Ibs. of meat in calories per day 

 would be about 380 calories, or about one-seventh of the total requirements 

 Meat, however, is a concentrated form of food and supplies a peculiarly 

 stimulating effect upon living cells. The above calculation is based on dat? 

 found in the Report of the Food Supply Committee, 1917 (Cd. 8241). 



2 The per capita consumption of fish in Australia has been estimated at 

 9 Ibs. per annum against 42 Ibs. in the United Kingdom. Commonwealth 

 Yearbook, No. 9, p. 397. 



See also Dominions Commission Final Report (Cd. 8462), p. 55, and Note. 

 The fish consumption in New Zealand is about 5 Ibs. per capita compared with 

 25 Ibs. per capita in Canada (Cd. 8462), p. 56. 



3 The estimated consumption of meat in the United States (exclusive of 

 edible offal) has been given as follows in Ibs. per capita. 



1900 179-2 



1909 172-3 



1914 151-9 



U.S. Dept. of Agric., Farmer's Bulletin, 575. The figure for 1900 is slightly 

 under and that for 1909 slightly over the corresponding figures given in Report 

 109 (see table above). 



4 The American consumption of butter in 1909 was about 17 Ibs. per capita 

 and oi cheese about 4 Ibs. per capita. The per capita milk consumption was 

 50-70 gallons per annum on the farms, and 28 gallons per annum in towns 

 over 2,500 population. The value of the poultry products consumed was 

 about /I -5 per capita and the fish consumption was about 20 Ibs. per capita. 

 The corresponding figures for the United Kingdom were approximately as 

 follows : butter, 16 Ibs. ; cheese, 7 Ibs. ; milk, 23 gallons ; poultry products 

 rather more than 10/- per capita ; fish, 42 Ibs. 



