Poultry to account for half of world increase in meat consumption

Although hobbled at the moment by outbreaks of African swine fever in Asia, global meat consumption will grow by 12% in the coming decade, with lower-cost poultry accounting for half of the increase, said the OECD and FAO on Thursday. Their jointly produced Agricultural Outlook report also said that aquaculture would overtake “capture fisheries” as the leading source of fish worldwide by 2024.

The coronavirus pandemic “is placing unprecedented pressure on global agricultural and food supply chains,” said the Outlook. Low economic growth this year “could contribute to a further drop in agricultural commodity prices, at least in the short run. If COVID-19 containment measures are effective and the global economy begins to rebound in 2021 … agricultural commodity demand and prices will gradually return to baseline levels over the following years.”

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