In this week’s audio report from the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), Joel Haggard, USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific, discusses the new dietary guidelines recently issued by China’s Ministry of Health. The guidelines call for Chinese citizens to significantly reduce their meat consumption. Haggard says he does not expect the new guidelines to have much impact on consumer behavior, but did note that Chinese consumers, especially in major urban areas, are becoming more health conscious when purchasing food items.

“Although the totals are large, China’s per capita meat consumption is still below that of Western nations, including the U.S., and almost all analysts are still expecting meat consumption to continue to increase, especially as more of the country’s population moves from rural to urban areas. But growing awareness of diet and health issues, especially by urban residents, could moderate consumption growth, and among the very demographic that most analysts that would expand consumption.”

The report also highlights that other factors, such as rising prices and constraints on domestic livestock production, could slow meat consumption growth in China.

Listen to the full report here:
USMEF Report On China Dietary Guidelines