Factors Affecting Consumption of Fats and Oils, Other Than Butter, in the United States

Consumption forecasts for fats and oils are essential in appraising the outlook for oilseeds and guiding farmers' acreage plans. They are also valuable to businessmen who produce, handle, or use fats and oils or who deal in oilseeds. Recognizing the extent of interchangeability among fats and oils, this paper presents an analysis of the factors affecting total consumption of fats and oils, except butter. An equation, for forecasting total fat and oil consumption, per person, and techniques which should prove useful as a guide in the analysis of demand for particular groups of fats and oils are likewise presented.