Source: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

As the world's biggest poultry producer, the United States farm sector also consumes the largest volume of soybean meal. In 1999, the US farm sector used up to 44 per cent of the availabel soybean meal in the poultry industry. As a result, USA consumed 27.56 million metric tons of soybean meal in 1999/00, or approximately 25 per cent of the world's total soybean meal consumption. Following very closely behind the United States was the European Union, with over 26 million metric tons consumed in 1999/00. In 2000/01, the EU will likely increase the use of soybean meal in animal feed because of the concerns over the BSE in MBM.

China's soybean meal consumption is ranked third in 1999/00, with 12.43 million metric tons in total consumption volume or approximately 11 per cent of the world total. And the trend will continue into 2000/01 because China's poultry industry is expanding very quickly. Since 1996, China has increased its poultry productio up to 26 per cent. As a result, the soybean meal consumption will also increase to a predicted 13.96 million metric tons in 2000/01.

The world's fourth largest soybean meal consumer in 1999/00 was Brazil, whose poultry sector was also expanding very rapidly. Since 1996/97, Brazil's poultry industry has grown over 25 per cent. As a result, the trend in soybean meal consumption will likely continue to grow to 7.4 million metric tons in 2000/01, an increase of 27 per cent from 5.4 million metric tons in 1996/97.