Meat consumption in South Africa continues to surge

Expansion of the livestock sector in South Africa has been driven primarily by a surge in local meat consumption, particularly chicken meat, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report. From South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994 until the financial crisis in 2009, steady economic growth and higher disposable incomes pushed large numbers of consumers towards protein-filled diets, and as a result, meat consumption levels skyrocketed. In 1994, per capita consumption was 38 kilograms (kg) of meat a year, while 15 years later in 2009, that figure increased to 64kg of meat a year – an increase of almost 70% over the period. However, over the next 15 years slower economic growth and lower disposable income dampened the meat consumption surge. Relatively high inflation and interest rates, coupled with an unemployment rate of more than 30%, put growing pressure on consumer spending. As a result, the growth in ...