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CHAPTER III.—PRESENT SOURCES OF SUPPLY.
Surplus meat sufficient in amount to justify an export
business has depended, in the past, upon large pastures of
the ranch type, a condition only present in countries of large
spaces and small populations. As such areas become closely
settled and industrialised, lack of space, increasing costs of pro-
duction and a rising domestic demand, relegate the export business
to a secondary position compared with the internal trade and,
indeed, as in the case of beef in the United States, combine
ocradually to bring about the point in comparative costs at which
imports become economically possible. Virgin areas which fulfil
the export conditions are rare in the northern hemisphere—the
hemisphere of population—but practically every important
country in the southern hemisphere is suitable. Local condi-
tions—drought, disease, lack of suitable grasses for building the
meat demanded by modern taste—modify here and there this
suitability, but these modifications, in view of the keen interest
in agricultural problems, may, in time, be overcome. It follows,
00, that the regions suitable for meat production are confined
to the temperate zone, though there are certain subtropical
areas, such, for example, as Brazil and parts of Queensland,
where altitude ensures a temperate climate, that can be utilised
for the purpose. The tropics are unsuitable for the raising of
rattle, but present great possibilities for the raising of foodstuffs
which would enable larger herds to be carried in the temperate
regions than would be possible without additional supplies of
feed. *
In the following summary of the present sources of supply,
attention is, therefore, devoted solely to the southern hemi-
sphere, because it is from southern countries that Great Britain
derives practically all its supplies of refrigerated beef, mutton
and lamb. Canada, it is true, supplies small quantities of frozen
and chilled beef and smaller quantities of chilled and frozen
mutton and lamb, but is more important as a supplier of
cattle on the hoof, so that it falls more naturally into the
study of the live-meat trade; but its potential importance
in the trade in refrigerated meat must be borne in mind.
This applies, too, to Eastern Asia, notably to Siberia and
Manchuria. From the former, dairy-produce is exported in
large quantities and, with improved transport facilities, closer
settlement, and additional capital, a meat export business is
possible ; time is, of course, a necessary factor. From Manchuria.
some mutton is already exported. to this country.
Regarding South America, attention is chiefly devoted to
he Argentine and to Uruguay, which, being similar in general
conditions, have been described together. Other States, namely,
Paraguay, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Columbia, are not, at
oresent, important as suppliers of beef, though supplies of mutton
See Dr. FW. Shanahan © ‘“ Animal Foodstiiffe *
