Chicken meat consumption had grown 13 times in the Czech Republic to 24.8kg per person per year in 2009 from under two kilograms back in 1948, according to Zdenek Kobes of the Czech Statistical Office (CSU). Prague Monitor reports that the Czech figure is above the EU average.
Czech beef consumption, in contrast, has been falling in the long run and pork consumption stagnates but still pork is the most popular kind of meat, Mr Kobes said.
Czechs consumed 78.8kg of meat per person in 2009 on average, while in Cyprus it was 144kg, the highest amount, and in Bulgaria 49kg, which was the lowest amount in the EU.
Czech meat consumption was at its highest in 1989, when it reached 97kg and then it was falling to settle at around 80kg in recent years and just above 40kg for pork.
Czech consumption of beef and veal – at 9.5kg – is well below the European average, which Mr Kobes attributed, among other factors, to the high price of the meat compared with others.
Fish consumption grew by 0.3kg to 6.2kg in 2009, which is still lower than the average of around 11kg per year in Europe. Sea fish is preferred to domestic fish in spite of a tradition lasting for 100 years.
Eating habits have changed in the Czech Republic as well as food processing technology and food recipes, said Jiri Hrbek of the CSU. According to Prague Monitor, the Czech population, for instance, drinks less milk than it did in the past but consumption of dairy products, cheese in particular, has grown.
Czechs Consume Less Meat But More Fish
CZECH REPUBLIC - Per capita consumption of all meats has been stable over recent years but poultry meat, fish and cheese are becoming more popular.
