Los cambios en los patrones de consumo de carnes en el mercado interno.

Abstract

The objective of this research was to study the consumption of different cuts and types of meat by Uruguayan households in the last decade of the XX century and the first decade of XXI century. It involved a two-step estimation of an incomplete system of censored demand equations using household data from the two last national household income and expenditure surveys. Thirteen meat products were included in the analysis: six beef products, four from other meats (sheep, pork, poultry, and fish), and three generic mixed-meat products. A complete set of shor tterm income, own-price and cross-price elasticities were computed and reported with 90% confidence interval. The comparison between the two periods verified a decrease in the consumption of all meats, particularly beef. However, they continue being a dominant factor in household diets. Poultry meat substantially improved its relative consumption although cold cut meats and sausages consolidated as the most preferred among all meat products. The consumption of ground beef excelled among bovine cuts. Income level and household size showed a positive effect on the probability of spending on almost any meat. All meat items were necessary goods (η < 1) exhibiting income-inelastic responses. All of them behaved also as normal goods (e < 0) although showing different responses to price changes.