THE FOOD GAP FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD COMMODITIES IN THE STATE OF KUWAIT

Abstract

The food gap represents the extent of the inability of national production to meet the population's need for that commodity or group of commodities, and it is the percentage of what the agricultural sector produces with its commodities than that which is consumed during a certain period. The research covered the food gap for the most important agricultural commodities in the State of Kuwait, which are red meat, poultry meat, eggs and fish. milk, shrimp, feed and vegetables during the years 2001/2002 - 2017/2018 and measure the size of the gap where it was found that the meat gap fell from 94% to about 83% during the study 2001/2018 period and increase self - sufficiency of the meat bin ratio and development of h and from 6% to 17% and an annual average of 86% meat gap. As for the poultry meat gap, it increased from 58% in 2001/2002 to about 69% in 2017/2018 with an annual average of 69%. As for the milk gap, the gap in milk consumption increased from about 82% in 2001/2002 to about 81% in 2017 / 2018, with an annual average of 82%, while the white gap reached about 7% in 2001/2002 and disappeared in 2008/2009. As for the fish gap, the size of the gap increased from 59% in 2001/2002 to about 92% in 2017/2018 with an annual average of 80%. As for fresh vegetables, the size of the gap increased from 42% in 2001/02 to about 57% in 2017 / 2018, with an annual average of 51.5%, and it is evident that the gap in each of poultry meat, fish and fresh vegetables has increased, its stability in milk, its decline in red meat, and the achievement of sufficiency and then a surplus of eggs, and then the study recommends expanding modern agriculture to provide food commodities and fill the food gap . Research problem : As a result of the limited agricultural resources in the State of Kuwait and the increase of the population (whether local or expatriate) during the study period, and the high level of income of the population led to an increase in demand for food agricultural commodities with limited agricultural resources, which led to an increase in the rates of demand for the consumption of agricultural commodities at rates greater than the increase in production. Which requires with him to study the size of the gap to reduce it in the future. Research objective : To study the most important agricultural food commodities in terms of: 1- Production quantities and their development during the study period 2001-2018. 2- Consumption quantities and their evolution during the study period 2001-2018. 3- Estimating gap size, measurement, and trend for all commodities. 4- Estimate the self-sufficiency ratio and its trend Research method: The method of analyzing data and statistical indicators of averages, percentages, and others was used . Sources: Data of the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources in the State of Kuwait, available research and references in the field. Conclusively, the research recommends working to bridge the increasing food gap during the study period for most of the commodities studied, in the State of Kuwait.