The Country with the Lowest Meat Consumption in the World

We recently compiled a list of the 20 Countries with the Lowest Meat Consumption in the World and in this article, we will list the country with the lowest meat consumption in the world.

Trends in Global Meat Protein Consumption

Global meat consumption has quadrupled since 1961, both in per capita and absolute terms. A 2021 study published in the National Library of Medicine shows that around 80 billion animals are slaughtered yearly for human consumption, producing around 340 million tonnes of meat. The growing human population is one of the primary reasons behind the expansion of livestock. The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook anticipates global meat production to continue expanding till 2030, with elevated per-animal productivity and herd and flock expansion in China and the Americas supporting this growth. China is expected to account for a significant chunk of the overall growth in meat production, followed closely by Brazil and the US. However, poultry production is anticipated to drive much of the projected growth.

Global meat protein consumption is also projected to grow by 14% by 2030, as compared to the consumption trends in 2018-2020. Population growth and increase in average income are the primary drivers behind this growth. While protein availability from poultry is anticipated to increase by 17.8% by 2030, beef, pork, and sheep meat is also projected to grow, albeit at a slower rate. The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook anticipates a 5.9% increase in protein availability from beef, 13.2% from pork, and 15.7% from sheep meat.

However, these trends do not strictly apply to every country across the globe. Aging, consumer preference changes, and slowing down of population growth in high-income countries are expected to lead to a level out in per capita meat consumption. More and more high-income countries are anticipated to shift towards high-valued meat cuts, along with an increased consumption of poultry. Lower-income countries are also expected to experience a growth in poultry consumption, primarily because of the lower cost of poultry. The roots of this trend in high-income countries are different: it is predominantly driven by an increased inclination towards white meat due to its ease of preparation and perception as a healthier food option. Poultry meat is thus expected to account for nearly 41% of all protein from meat sources by 2030, with global shares of beef, sheepmeat, and pigmeat standing at 20%, 5%, and 34%, respectively.

Meat Consumption in the US: Is It Increasing or Decreasing?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the average US resident consumes around 224.6 pounds of meat per year, which includes pork, beef, turkey, and broilers. Meat consumption in the country reached an all-time high in 2021, falling briefly in 2022 but still standing as the second-highest record year. However, the US meat market is undergoing shifts due to changing consumer preferences, affecting consumption patterns.

According to the Power of Meat study, US consumers are shifting their focus on product quality and value. Consumers are now willing to pay more for grass-fed, high-grade, premium, and locally-grown meat products, highlighting an increasing demand for specialty meat production. An increasing inclination towards natural and organic meat products is also shifting consumer focus, highlighting an inclination towards environmentally friendly and sustainable consumption choices. You can look at 15 Most Consumed Meats in the World for more insight.

Changing Meat Consumption Market Trends

The changes in consumption patterns across the country are causing companies in the industry to actively pursue new product developments, acquisitions, and research to augment their market standing. Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) is one of the prominent names in the field. This multinational corporation is based in Arkansas, and is the world’s second-largest marketer and processor of beef, chicken, and pork. It exports the highest percentage of beef out of the country and aims to expand its market standing by redirecting attention to restructuring and increasing operational efficiency. These improvements are primarily directed to its poultry business to cater to the increasing inclination towards chicken across the globe. The company opened a $300 million food production facility in Virginia at the end of last year to boost its long-term growth and efficiency. Considered one of the most automated plants held by the company to date, the 325,000 square facility holds the capacity to produce around four million pounds of fully-cooked, premium-quality poultry products every week to meet the demands of the Tyson® brand products in food service and retail.

However, poultry is not the only center of focus for the company: Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) also opened a $355 million food production facility in Kentucky at the start of the year to significantly expand its bacon production capacity. The 400,000-square-foot plant is projected to produce about two million pounds of premium quality bacon retail products a week, allowing the company to capitalize on its category leadership and increase its product market. The plant will also produce bacon used in food service, meeting the needs of the company’s bacon production category, which will drive more than $1 billion in sales across food service and retail.

Now that we have taken an overview of meat consumption trends across the globe, let’s look at the country with the lowest meat consumption in the world. You can also look at Top 20 Countries with the Highest Meat Consumption and Top 20 Meat Producing Countries in the World.

The Country with the Lowest Meat Consumption in the World

Our Methodology

To compile a list of the countries with the lowest meat consumption in the world, we obtained the annual meat consumption data of countries from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The 20 countries with the lowest meat consumption in the world are arranged in descending order of their per capita meat consumption per year in kilograms.

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The Country with the Lowest Meat Consumption In The World

1. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Per Capita Meat Consumption Per Year: 3.03 Kilograms 

The Democratic Republic of Congo ranks first on our list of the 20 countries with the lowest meat consumption in the world, with only 3.03 kilograms of meat consumed per capita in the country in a year. To put this number into perspective, the per capita meat consumption of Hong Kong and the United States, the two countries with the highest per capita meat consumption in the world as of 2021, stands at 146.85 kilograms and 126.83 kilograms, respectively. DRC boasts a strategic geographical location at the center of the African continent, sharing borders with nine African countries. It has the fourth-largest population in Africa and is the second-largest country on the continent after Algeria. The country is renowned for its diversity and has more than 200 ethnic groups living under its umbrella. However, DRC is also facing one of the worst humanitarian crises across the globe, with around 6.9 million people displaced throughout the country. Shortage of food supplies, failing infrastructure, and decades of conflict and insecurity are some of the primary reasons behind the country’s plight.

Curious about which other countries have the lowest meat consumption in the world? Read our detailed report on 20 Countries with the Lowest Meat Consumption in the World.

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