March 12, 2007

Increased meat consumption puts Chile among developed countries -FAO
 

If it is to be based on meat consumption, Chile is already a developed country as its meat consumption reached 79 kilograms per person in 2006, up 5 percent from 2005.

According to statistics supplied by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, this places Chile near the 81.5 kilos average annual per person consumption enjoyed by developed countries. At the other end of the scale, countries classed as developing nations consume and average of just 32.3 kilos of meat annually per person.

Chile's pork and poultry consumption increased in 2006 while beef consumption fell by 13 percent. Chileans ate 4 kilos more pork and another four kilos more poultry than in 2005. These two meats now account for 72 percent of Chile's total meat consumption.

According to Reinaldo Ruiz, director of Chile's Office of Political Agronomy Studies (Odepa), the fall in beef consumption can be attributed to beef's rising cost.

Bovine meat registered the greatest growth, up 20.6 percent in 2006 compared to 2005.