CALGARY (Staff) – They may have eaten at the golden arches but the taste for beef among the European Union’s 15 member nations is as varied as their cultures, says a Swiss-based researcher.
“Despite the presence of MacDonalds and Coca Cola, European eating patterns have not been homogenized,” said Alan Gordon. These varying patterns have a large impact on beef consumption.
Gordon is executive director of Gira, a Swiss-based meat market research firm that tracks world meat consumption and sales trends. He spoke at the annual Canada Beef Export Federation meeting here Sept. 30.
Read Also
Alberta crop diversification centres receive funding
$5.2 million of provincial funding pumped into crop diversity research centres
The federation is a union of 56 beef packers, processors and cattle producers’ organizations interested in exporting beef to Asia.
According to Gira figures, six million tonnes of beef enters the world market each year. The EU’s share is 1.2 million tonnes, most of which is sold in North Africa and the Middle East.
It’s a lower priced market and Gordon expects the practice to continue as Europe looks for places to sell its surplus meat. Because they have beef best suited for processing, Europeans haven’t moved into more lucrative Japanese markets where high quality meat is desired.
Surplus will continue
Gordon expects the surpluses to continue even as European cow populations decline.
By the year 2000, there will be one million tonnes of surplus meat which will have to find a way into foreign markets.
Gordon said his firm does not hold out much hope for North American producers who want access to closed EU beef markets.
“This isn’t a message of hope, but I think it’s a message of realism.”
Currently, North American beef is not allowed into Europe. EU officials say growth hormones used in North American pose a danger.
North American producers and governments call that a red herring. The hormones in the meat are not dangerous and the Europeans are just trying to protect their own markets, they say.
The average European eats about 40 kilograms of meat per year. Denmark has the highest consumption at 46.4 kg per capita. Greece is the lowest at 33.3 kg.
As in North America, European beef must compete against cheaper poultry and pork products.
In 1960, poultry was one percent of total meat consumption in Europe. Today, it averages 22 percent of the diet because of its good nutrition image and lower price, said Gordon. Conversely, veal has gone down in price but is losing popularity because it carries a negative image.
