97% Of Ticos Prefer
National Beef
Bet it custom, taste or
price, Costa Ricans are
consuming more beef that
ever.
According to the
Corporación de Fomento
Ganadero (Corfoga), each
Costa Rican consumes, an
average, 16.44 kilograms
of beef annually. Three
years ago the average
consumption was 12.5 kgs.
Erick Quirós, director
of Corfoga, said that
the rise in price of
chicken, fish and pork,
favoured Ticos to eat
more beef during the
last few years.
Quirós was quick to
point that the rise in
consumption has not
meant an increase in
revenue for beef
producers, as prices
have varied only by 4%
since 2005.
The national herd is
estimated at 1.2 million
heads of cattle, which,
however, uses less land
devoted to raising
cattle, as many farmers
have turned to agro
exports like growing
pineapple, oranges,
tubers, sugarcane and
rice, according to
Quirós.
The report is a result
of a Corfoga poll to
determine the beef
consuming habits in
Costa Rica, which found
that 99% of Ticos said
they consume chicken and
92% said they like the
taste of beef, followed
by 87% liking fish, 75%
for pork and only 16%
soy meat.
Of the beef consumers,
77% said they like the
steak cuts, the majority
only purchasing one
kilo, followed by ground
beef and beef ribs.
The poll shows that
Ticos purchase beef at
least once a week and
that for 80% it is
consumed from two to
four times a week.
Quirós said that there
is a lack of "beef"
knowledge in the
marketplace, many
purchasing steak because
it is easy to prepare
and a favourite of the
"head of the house".
Quirós added that the
poll indicates that 97%
of Costa Ricans prefer
national production to
3% who prefer imports. |
