a028  0154  15 Jan 90
PM-Farm Scene,0812
Americans are World's Biggest Poultry Eaters
By DON KENDALL
AP Farm Writer
    WASHINGTON (AP) - The world's biggest beef eaters continue to be in
Argentina, but when it comes to poultry no one can hold a chicken leg
to the Americans.
    Preliminary forecasts by the Agriculture Department also show that
Hungary will retain the world's per capita pork-eating crown in 1990,
while New Zealand continues leading the lamb-and-mutton flock.
    The figures were compiled by the department's Foreign Agricultural
Service, based on estimated 1990 production of red meat and poultry.
Although the statistics are not true ''world'' figures, the leading
producing countries were included in the various categories.
    Weights of the red meats were expressed in ''carcass weight''
equivalents before slaughtered animals are carved into retail cuts.
The poultry weights were in ''ready to cook'' equivalents, which
still includes bone.
    For beef and veal, more than 50 countries were listed by region.
North America - Canada, Mexico and the United States - led regionally
with an expected 1990 per capita consumption of 38.6 kilograms, or
84.9 pounds, allowing 2.2 pounds per kilo.
    The U.S. per capita consumption of beef and veal led the region at
97.7 pounds, which is much heftier than most other countries checked.
Altogether, the 50-country average is expected to be slightly more
than 25 pounds this year.
    South America as a region was forecast at only 22.1 kilograms, on
the average, or about 48.6 pounds per capita this year. But there are
large differences. Brazil, for example, is expected to consume only
about 29.2 pounds of beef and veal, while Argentina heads the list at
139 pounds.
    But Argentina has been declining in recent years as a beef consumer,
and Uruguay is close behind in the per capita race, averaging 137
pounds in the 1990 projections.
    In the 12-nation European Economic Community, which was forecast at
49.3 pounds of beef and veal this year on a per capita basis, France
leads with 62.7 pounds over Italy, 57.6 pounds. On the average 1990
EEC consumption was forecast at 49.3 pounds.
    Eastern Europe as a region was forecast at 37.2 pounds of beef and
veal this year, and the Soviet Union is expected to average 66 pounds
per person.
    As Oceania, Australia and New Zealand are expected to average 82.3
pounds of beef and veal consumed in 1990, with Australia having the
slight edge.
    The Far East has no world-class beef eaters, according to the USDA
list. Hong Kong leads at 34.8, with Japan next at 20 pounds per
capita. China's average for 1990 is about 1.98 pounds per person, and
India's is 1.5 pounds.
    Other highlights:
    PORK
    The U.S. forecast is an average of 67.1 pounds in 1990, trailing
Canada's 73.5 pounds but well above Mexico's 16.2 pounds. North
America: 55.4 pounds per person this year.
    Those levels are far below the EEC, where the average is expected to
be 80.5 pounds per capita this year, led by Denmark with 138 pounds.
West Germany is expected to average 114.2 pounds.
    Eastern Europe, however, leads all regions in pork consumption, with
a forecast of more than 100 pounds per person this year. That
includes an average of 148 pounds in Hungary and 140.6 pounds in East
Germany.
    Pork consumption in the Soviet Union was forecast at 51.9 pounds,
about the same as in recent years.
    In Asia, China's pork consumption was forecast at 41.6 pounds per
person, but Hong Kong's 100 pounds topped the region. Most other
major areas were also-rans in the pork category.
    The average for 39 countries was 37.4 pounds of pork per person in
1990.
    LAMB, MUTTON AND GOAT MEAT
    Collectively, per capita consumption in North America - Mexico and
the United States - was forecast at 1.78 pounds, with the U.S.
average at 1.5 pounds. No figures for Canada were listed.
    For 32 countries listed, the per capita consumption was forecast at
3.7 pounds, with large variations among some.
    Uruguay was forecast to consume 54.3 pounds in 1990, but South
America overall was shown at 9.7 pounds.
    In the EEC, average consumption of lamb, mutton and goat meat was
forecast at 8.6 pounds, led by Greece at 30.6 pounds. The
Netherlands, by contrast, was shown at 1.54 pounds.
    But in New Zealand the average consumption is expected to be 66
pounds per person this year. Add a lesser appetite for Australia and
the average for Oceania is 50.8 pounds.
    POULTRY, INCLUDING CHICKENS AND TURKEYS
    The United States is expected to consume an average of 90.4 pounds
of total poultry per person in 1990, compared to an average of 17.2
pounds for 30 countries listed. There was no breakdown by region.
    Israel is second at 75.7 pounds per capita, followed by Hong Kong,
68.2 pounds; Canada, 60 pounds; and Saudi Arabia, 56.3 pounds. The
Soviet Union is forecast to consume 25.5 pounds of total poultry this
year.
    
 
AP-NY-01-15-90 0437EST
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