South Africa pork consumption overtakes lamb

Pork consumption in South Africa has grown in popularity as it overtakes the lamb/mutton consumption, according to agricultural statistics that recorded the country's meat production and consumption over the period of 1998-2008.

Last year, pork consumption per capita was 4.4 kg, while mutton was 3.4 kg.

Pork numbers decreased about 10 percent to 1.62 million, while slaughtering rose from two million to 2.6 million due to increasingly efficient pig production.

Pork production increased 59 percent over the past ten years, from 119,200 tonnes to 189,900 tonnes in 2008. Pork consumption accelerated 65 percent to 208,000 tonnes, due to population growth and economic development.

In comparison, mutton production grew at a slower pace at only 15.6 percent, from 104,900 tonnes to 121,300 tonnes. Consumption rose six percent, from 154,000 to 164,000 tonnes.

But poultry remains the most affordable meat in South Africa, with consumption per capita reaching nearly 30 kg. Consumption of poultry also grew 62.6 percent over the last decade from 874,000 tonnes in 1998 to 1.4 million tonnes in 2008.