Increased Chicken Consumption along with the Coordinated Structure Change in Korea

Abstract

The chicken has been growing in Korea for more than a thousand years according to the history book and commercially rising for broiler meat only since 1960`s. As income increased mainly due to improved economy, it changes the habit of eating especially chicken meat. The structure changes into a coordinated production and marketing system which forced the prevailed small and independent producers to become a contract farmer under the vertically controlled practices. This coordinated structure began in 1970`s and evolved continually to occupy around 90 percent of the market in 2010 with some ten (10) private brands being advertising. The industrial organizations have also conducted the generic promotion by a farmer`s check-off program. Over the past 20 years, chicken import steadily increased to meet about 25 percent of the domestic market while the export showed negligible growth. As a whole, the structure change and international trade devoted to increased chicken consumption from 2 kg with the independent operation to 11 kg currently under the coordinated system and import. It is predicted that chicken consumption will grow in years to come and the import will also increase in addition to local productions, considering the free trade agreement that has already been in practice with EU and US to open the market eventually from all sources of supply worldwide.