Determinant Factors of Red Meat Consumption in Alexandria Governorate

Study of red meat consumption in Egypt is one of the important goals of achieving Egyptian food security and which matters that contribute to producers making the decision to increase investment or not in this vital sector, Especially in light of the inability of local production to meet the consumption requirements of the population, and this deficit is covered through imports, As the amount of the domestic product of red meat reached about 792 thousand tons in 2017, While the amount of consumption of it amounted to about 1202 thousand tons in the same year, and the amount of the food gap reached about 410 thousand tons in the same year, which is compensated for through the import, which amounted to about 412 thousand tons for the same year.
The paper mainly aimed to study the consumption of red meat based on targeted sample of red meat and its alternatives consumers in Alexandria Governorate the number of sample reached about 60 families, with average of each family was 5 members. This sample was collected during year 2020
The most important results of the research were the following:
1-    The number of local cows slaughtered increased at an annual growth rate of about 7.3%, Meanwhile, the number of imported cattle calves increased at an annual growth rate of about 24.4% during the study period.
 
 
 
2-    The decrease in the number of slaughtered buffaloes, at an annual rate of about 3.5%, While the number of slaughtered local sheep and goats increased at an annual growth rate of about 4.3% and 11.1%, respectively.
3-    Retail prices for Canadian meat increased at an annual growth rate of 11.9%, Retail prices for veal also increased at an annual growth rate of about 12.6%, It was found that retail prices of mutton increased at an annual growth rate of about 11.1%.
4-    The amount of red meat consumed in Egypt increased at an annual growth rate of about 1.6%, while the amount of Egyptian imports of red meat increased at an annual growth rate of about 6.5%.
5-    The consumption expenditure of red meat, poultry and fish in the research sample in Alexandria Governorate is affected by the price of the commodity itself, the prices of the substitute commodities, and the total expenditure on those three commodities under study.
6-    The demand for red meat, poultry and fish is flexible, as the change in spending on these commodities is greater than the change in their prices, Poultry and fish are also considered substitutes for red meat due to the substitution relationship between them, The research revealed that the aforementioned commodities are necessary for the consumer in the research sample in Alexandria Governorate.