TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The average Taiwanese person last year ate more meat than grains for the first time since statistics were kept by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).

On Oct. 2, the MOA released its annual statistics on the consumption of meats and grains in Taiwan in 2022. According to the report, the average meat consumption per person last year reached 87.50 kilograms, surpassing the average grain consumption of 87.42 kg per person.

Annual individual meat consumption increased by 3.38 kg, while grain consumption dropped by 1.9 kg compared to 2021. This marks the first time that meat consumption per person has exceeded that of grains in the country, according to Liberty Times.

In addition, in terms of caloric intake, Taiwanese are consuming more in the way of calories from meat than from grain. In 2022, the daily calorie intake from meat for people in the country reached 421.80 kilocalories (kcal), for the first time exceeding the daily calorie intake from rice, which is 416.84 kcal.

When it comes to the type of meat eaten, the most consumed meat by Taiwanese is poultry, mainly chicken, with an average consumption of 43.12 g per person last year, reaching a historic high. Beef consumption also reached a historic high at 7.34 kg per person per year, while the average annual pork consumption was 36 kg, and mutton only accounted for 0.96 kg.

The majority of the beef consumed in Taiwan is imported. According to MOA statistics, Taiwan imported the most beef from the U.S. last year, with over 63,000 tons of fresh and frozen American beef imported, which is nearly a 10% increase from the previous year's 57,300 tons.

The amount of rice eaten by Taiwanese people is still decreasing, with an average annual consumption of 42.98 kg per person last year, a slight decrease of 50 grams compared to the previous year. In contrast, the intake of potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other types of tuber vegetables has shown an increasing trend year by year.

Last year, the average intake of tuber vegetables per person in Taiwan reached a nearly 10-year high of 30.09 kg, with potatoes being the most consumed, and sweet potatoes also showing a growing trend.

Department of Animal Industry Deputy Director-General Lee Yi-chien (李宜謙) was cited by the newspaper as stating that in recent years, Taiwanese have eaten more chicken than pork, mainly due to the booming trend of sports and fitness, increasing their intake of low-calorie chicken breast meat. As for the decrease in pork intake by Taiwanese in the past two years, in addition to changes in dietary habits, it is also due to many domestic pig farms spending tens of billions of New Taiwan dollars in pig breeding funds to improve livestock houses and equipment, resulting in a decrease in the number of pigs raised in the short term.

Taiwan Frozen Food Processors Association chairman Hsiu Chia-lin (許嘉麟) pointed out that in the past, many Taiwanese people did not eat beef due to traditional customs. With the changes in social patterns, their acceptance of beef has increased.

The import volume of beef from the U.S. has been increasing year by year, which is due to the fact that American beef is grain-fed and has a better taste than grass-fed beef. Even though the price is slightly higher than that of New Zealand and Australian grass-fed beef, Taiwanese people still prefer American beef, said Hsiu.

Lin Chuan-chi (林傳琦), head of the MOA's grains special task force, explained that one of the reasons for the growth in sweet potato consumption is the increasing popularity of roasted sweet potatoes and french fries in convenience stores and fast food outlets. Sweet potatoes have also found extensive use in baking and tea drinks, contributing to their increased consumption, said Lin.