SEOUL, KOREA - The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on June 23 Koreans' per-capita meat consumption has increased 18.8 percent to 43.7 kilograms in 2012 from 36.8 kg in 2009. During the same period, according to Korea Statistical Office figures, per-person grain consumption has declined 6.3 percent to 77.1 kg from 82.3 kg.

Pork was the most preferred meat, accounting for 49.7 percent of all meat consumption with 21.7 kg per person in 2012. It was followed by chicken, whose 2012 consumption was 12.2 kg, 27.1 percent higher than that in 2009. The beef consumption a person in 2012 was 9.8 kg.

 

Of all the grains, the consumption of rice fell most notably. The 2012 per-capita consumption of rice was 69.8 kg, down 5.7 percent from 2009. This is the first time rice consumption dropped below the 70-kg level. Other grains such as beans and red beans (-17.4%), potato and sweep potato (-21.4%), and flour (-13.3%) saw their consumption fall during the three-year period.