Where's the beef

Despite the global economic slowdown, consumption of meat is projected to grow over the next decade, keeping pace with increases in population and purchasing power in most parts of the world. By 2018, human beings will be eating more than 320 million tonnes of meat a year, up some 20% compared with 2006-08. In developing countries, per capita meat consumption will jump more than 16%, outpacing population growth and rising from 24 kg per person per year today to a projected 27 kg in 2018.

The types of meat that we eat vary, depending on where and how we live-for example, whether domestic beef production is substantial, as in East Africa, or whether there are religious prohibitions, such as those against eating pork in the Middle East and North Africa. Also, higher incomes could lead to more beef imports, as in Southeast Asia.

Worldwide, poultry consumption is expected to increase the most, as consumers show their preference for lean, easy-to-cook and relatively inexpensive meat. In fact, poultry will account for almost half of the projected increase in meat consumption outside the OECD area, and will record sharp gains within OECD countries too as consumers try to trim both spending and waistlines. Rory J. Clarke, Marilyn Achiron

OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2009-2018, available at www.oecd.org/bookshop,
ISBN 978-92-64-01144-1

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