Last year, it was found that each citizen consumed an average of 30 kg of pork.
According to the ‘Agricultural Outlook 2025’ report by the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) on the 3rd, the estimated per capita pork consumption last year was 30.0 kg, an increase of 6.8% compared to the average consumption (28.1 kg). The average consumption is the mean excluding the maximum and minimum from 2019 to 2023.
Compared to the previous year's consumption (29.6 kg), this represents a 1.4% increase.
In last year's agricultural outlook report, KREI estimated per capita pork consumption for 2023 to be 30.1 kg, but this figure was adjusted to 29.6 kg in this year's report.
Last year's per capita pork consumption was nearly double that of chicken (15.2 kg) and beef (14.9 kg), and half that of rice consumption (55.8 kg).
In fact, domestic consumers were found to prefer pork most among meats. According to a survey conducted by KREI from December 16 to 22 last year with 507 consumer panels, 63.2% of respondents identified pork as their most preferred meat when eating at home, followed by beef at 21.1%, chicken at 14.7%, and duck at 1.0%.
Additionally, 60.0% of respondents identified pork belly as their most preferred pork cut, exceeding half. This was followed by neck meat (24.5%), ribs (7.8%), and front and hind leg meat (4.4%).
KREI forecasted that this year's pork production would be similar to last year's at around 1.13 million tons.
Accordingly, this year's wholesale price of pork is expected to be 5,100 to 5,300 won per kg, in line with last year's level (5,239 won). Last year's pork self-sufficiency rate was 72.0%.
Meanwhile, on this day, in celebration of ‘Pork Belly Day,’ distribution companies will launch a series of pork belly discount events. The 22nd anniversary of Pork Belly Day, initiated by the Livestock Cooperative to increase the income of pig farming households after the Lunar New Year, was designated as March 3 as a day to eat pork belly.