Chinese consumers are eating more and more meat – per capita consumption soared by 24 percent in the past decade, says a report by PwC UK. An additional 30-percent rise would be needed to match the consumption rates in Taiwan of 74 kg a year, “a realistic long-term extrapolation.” Despite evidence of an economic slowdown, “diets will continue to change. This will place enormous burdens on an already challenged domestic food system and have significant ramifications on international trade in agriculture.”
“Amid volatility in commodities markets, China’s continuing shift toward consumerism means the outlook for soft foodstuffs is relatively bright,” said Richard Ferguson, a PwC agricultural adviser and co-author of the report. He said fruit, vegetables, corn and wheat were likely to be consistent items on China’s import list. The world’s most populous nation lacks enough farmland to provide all the food wanted by its citizens. Imported corn and soybeans are fed to livestock. Demand for meat is a primary reason for the large volume of soybean imports.
“Self-sufficiency is no longer a practical policy goal for China,” says the report. “The government appears to acknowledge this with its priorities shifting towards high-value crops, such as fruits and vegetables, and a focus on quality and food safety.” Imports account for most of Chinese consumption of soybeans. The nation is barely self-sufficient in wheat and rice, “the main food crops for human consumption,” and imports a comparatively small amount of corn.