STUDY ON MEAT CONSUMPTION PATTERNS IN RURAL HOUSE HOLDS OF CHITTOOR DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

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1 STUDY ON MEAT CONSUMPTION PATTERNS IN RURAL HOUSE HOLDS OF CHITTOOR DISTRICT OF ANDHRA PRADESH A.Jagadeesh Babu 1, A.Rupa Sundari 2, G.Triveni 3 and J.Indumathi 4 College of Veterinary Science, Tirupati INTRODUCTION Many of the developing countries are expected to undergo transformation in their economy and rapid urbanization over the next 25 years. The changes in taste and lifestyle engendered by urban living are likely to have significant influence on food consumption patterns. There has been an increasing pressure on the livestock sector to meet the growing demand for high value animal protein. Meat consumption has shifted over time from beef, veal, lamb, mutton and chevon to a greater consumption of poultry and fish due to changing tastes, costs and income (Akbay and Boz 2005). However, these changes become more important for rural areas because of the growing food distribution channels and increasing household income and education levels of the consumers. Livestock products not only provide high value protein but are also important source of a wide range of essential micronutrients, in particular minerals such as iron and zinc and vitamins such as Vitamin A. For large majority of people in the world particularly in developing countries, livestock products remain a desired food for nutritional value and taste. This investigation focused on household animal products consumption levels and patterns of Chittoor district s rural households based on their income and socio economic categorical groups. Even though many studies existed on animal product consumption, most of them were focused on urban household animal product consumption in relatively small cities (Hanta and Yurdakul 1995, Albayrak 1999, Koc and Tan 1999, Oguz and Kuckkcongav 2002). This paper is an attempt in that direction to address the issue of animal products consumption in rural households of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The objective of this study is to describe meat consumption patterns in rural households in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The main source of this study is data obtained over a period of 4 months from August to November During this period data was collected from 200 households of 28 villages in 18 mandals of Chittoor district, by conducting personal interviews with a pretested interview schedule. A single visit was made to each household. Therefore this study can only provide an overall general impression regarding meat consumption patterns in rural areas of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh. Results of Table 1 revealed that most of the farmers belonged to middle age group of years (53%), followed by young (30%) and middle age groups (17%) respectively. The income levels were of medium category (61.5%) followed by low (21%) and high income groups (17.5%). Majority of the farmers were marginal (58.5%) followed by agriculture labour (22.5%), small farmers (15.5%) and big farmers (3.5%) respectively. They had a family size of less than 5 members (51.0%), more than 5 members (26.5%) and 5 members (22.5%). Most of the respondents had primary education 1,2 & 4 Assistant Professors and Teaching Assistant, Dept. of VPH, 3 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Vety.A.H.and Extension 183

2 between 2 nd class to 10 th class (51.5%) followed by illiterates (31.5%), up to intermediate (10.5%), degree (5.0%) and post graduation (1.5%). The meat consumption patterns of the rural households of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh were presented in Table 2. It revealed that most of the people preferred poultry meat (70.0%) followed by mutton (21.0%), chevon (7.0%) and very less percentage of people preferred to take pork (1.0%) and beef (1.0%). Similar types of results were reported by Koizume et al (2001) and Thammiraju et al (2005). The major reasons for consumption of meat were because of its taste (88.0%), habituated (8.5%), demand by children (2.0%) and because of guests (1.5%). Very less percentage of people preferred to take pork and beef. This may be because of the religious restrictions which influences the meat consumption patterns of the people in a religious country like India. Table 2 also revealed that most of the rural people were consuming chicken once in a week (60.5%) followed by fortnightly (34.5%) and monthly (5.0%). A similar type of result was found with Thammiraju et al (2005). Majority of the people prefer to consume mutton once in a month (60.0%) followed by fortnightly (36.0%) and weekly (4.0%). The difference in the frequency of consumption of chicken and mutton may be attributed to individual taste, specific occasions like festivals and cost. The less frequency in consumption of mutton is mainly because of its cost. Even though the cost of pork and beef is less compared to the cost of mutton, the less percentage in the frequency of consumption of pork and beef may be attributed to religious sentiments (91.5%) followed by individual taste (6.0%) and less availability (2.5%). Majority of meat consumers prefer to have meat in their diet on all days but Table 2 revealed that because of the cost most of the people (59.5%) were not preferring meat daily and the other reasons mentioned by them for not having the meat in their diet on all days were religious sentiments (28.0%), health problems (10.0%) and no specific reason (2.5%). Most of the people (78.0%) does not Study on meat consumption... know the nutritive value of meat where as 22.0% of the individuals expressed that meat in their diet will give them some energy, when it comes to the diseases or problems that are associated with consumption of meat, 69.0% of people expressed that they do not know any harmful effect on their health due to consumption of meat but 31.0% people said that excessive consumption of meat may lead to heart problems. Similar type of observation was mentioned by Chen Chun Ming (1995). Further all the rural households were unaware about the zoonotic diseases. In the present study poultry meat is preferred by most of the rural households when compared to mutton, chevon, pork and beef. Further cost of the meat and religious beliefs play an important role in the meat consumption patterns of rural people. Due to lack of proper education majority of the people do not know about the nutritive value of meat and the most important thing to consider is awareness about the diseases that are transmitted to human beings through consumption of spoiled meat or meat which is unfit for human consumption. Hence the livestock farmers, marketing agencies, government organizations and extension agencies, Non Government Organizations (NGO s) should take the lead in establishing the specific livestock farming suitable to that locality based on the preferences and choices of the rural consumers and further they should bring awareness among the people about the harmful effects on their health due to consumption of meat which is unfit for human consumption. 184

3 Jagadeesh babu et al., Table 1: Social and educational background of the respondents Particulars Frequency n = 200 Percentage Age Young <30 years % Middle yrs % Old >50 yrs % Income Low (Rs.<30,000/annum) % Medium( Rs. 30,000-70,000/annum) % High (>70,000/annum) % Category of rural house holds Marginal farmers % Agriculture labour % Small farmers % Big farmers % Family size <5 members % >5 members % 5 members % Education 2 nd to 10 th class % Illiterate % Intermediate % Degree % Post graduation % 185

4 Study on meat consumption... Table.2 Meat consumption patterns of rural households of Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh Particulars Frequency n = 200 Percentage Meat of choice Chicken % Mutton % Chevon % Pork % Beef % Reasons for consumption of meat Taste % Habituated % Demand by children % Because of guests % Frequency of consumption Chicken Weekly % Fortnightly % Monthly % Mutton Weekly % Fortnightly % Monthly % Chevon Fortnightly % Monthly % Pork Fortnightly Monthly % Beef Fortnightly Monthly % Reasons for less / non consumption of pork and beef Religious sentiments % Dislike % Less availability % Reasons for not consuming the meat daily Religious sentiments % Cost % Health problems % No specific reason % Awareness about the nutritive value of meat Known % Not known % Awareness about the problems or diseases associated with consumption of meat Known % Not known % 186

5 Jagadeesh babu et al., REFERENCES Akbay,C. and Boz I. (2005). Turkey s Livestock sector: Production, consumption and policies. Livestock Research for Rural Development 17(09) Albayrak M. (1999). Analyzing of the changes of animal products consumption types in Turkey, International Livestock Congress 99, September 21-24, Izmir Turkey. Chen Chun Ming.(1995). Eating patterns a prognosis for China. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol.4: Hanta, B., and Yurdakul O. (1995). Adana ilinde kentsel alanda hayvansal gida tuketim yapisi.cu. Ziraat Fakultesi Dergisi 10 (2): Koc, A., and Tan S. (1999). Household demand for dairy products in Turkey: The impact of Households composition on consumption. Agricultural Economic Research Institute, Ankara. Koizumi S., Jussaume R. A Jr., Kobayashi S., Pan I. J., Takaku S., Nishino M., Saito H., Baba M., Nagano M. and Pan I J. (2001). Study on consumers behaviour for meat consumption in U.S. Animal Science Journal, Volume 72: Oguz, C. and Kucukeongar M. (2002). Konya ili Selcuklu ilcesi hanehalkinin sut ve sut urunleri tuketim ve satin alma davranislari. Turkiye V. Tarim Ekonomisi Kongresi, Eylul Thammiraju, D. and Suryanarayana M.V.A.N. (2005). Meat consumption in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh: an analysis. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 17, Article#