Rising Demand for Meat and Milk in Developing Countries: Implications for Grasslands-Based Livestock Production

Key points 1. Meat and milk consumption in developing countries has grown three times as fast as in developed countries over the past 30 years. 2. By 2020, developing countries will consume 72 million metric tons (mmt) more meat and 152 mmt more milk compared to 2002/3, dwarfing developed-country increases of 9 mmt for meat and 18 mmt for milk. 3. Ruminant livestock will account for 27% of the increase in global meat consumption between 2003 and 2020, up from 23% over the previous two decades. 4. The inflation-adjusted prices of livestock and feed grains are expected to fall only marginally by 2020, compared to precipitous declines in the past 30 years. 5. Production growth of monogastric livestock in Asia and South America will continue, but at a slower rate as environmental, health, and feed cost problems become more acute