Beef, pork replaces chicken and mutton as most popular meats among Malayalis

KOCHI: As per new figures, beef consumption among Malayalis have increased as is one of the top 2 meats in the state, the other being pork. According to a report by the Ministry of Statistics and Programmes, 28 lakh cattle and 2 lakh pork are slaughtered annually for meat consumption in Kerala. Poultry and mutton sales have gone down in the state.

In 2018, 11.9 crore broiler chickens were imported by Malayali, comapred to 10.7 crore in 2020-21. The number of goats slaughtered for meat dropped from 17 lakh to 11.5 lakh.

In 2018, 21 lakh cattle (cows, bullocks, buffaloes) were slaughtered, while in 2020-21 it increased to 28.3 lakhs. The number of slaughtered pork has increased from 98000 to 2 lakh.

At the same time, traders say that bird flu and the increase in the price of meat are the reasons for drop in sale of goat and chicken.

increase

Beef - 60%

Pork - 100%

2.7 lakh tonnes of beef

Kerala is ahead in beef consumption compared to neighboring states. While Malayalees consume an average of 2.7 lakh tonnes of beef a year, neighbouring Tamil Nadu consumes 51,000 tonnes and Karnataka 12,000 tonnes.