April 4, 2005

South Korea beef consumption falls to 9-year low
 

Beef consumption in South Korea fell to a nine-year low in 2004 because of the slow economy and health concerns. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry reported the  per-capita consumption was 6.8 kg, 16 percent less than in 2003.

Since the outbreak of mad cow disease in the US, and the avian influenza spreading in Korean poultry farms, demand for meat has taken a dip, falling 6 percent to 31 kg per capita last year, the lowest since 1999.

Pork intake, on the other hand, seemed to have benefited as an alternative to beef and chicken, increasing 3.5 percent to 17.9 kg per capita.