Global meat supply quadrupled since 1961: Report

A new study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) revealed Friday that the global meat supply has quadrupled over the past six decades.

"The global supply of terrestrial animal source food (TASF), driven mainly by egg, poultry and pig meat, has experienced a significant increase over the past six decades," FAO said in its report.

The study found that the expansion of TASF has made livestock "the fastest-growing component of the agricultural sector."

FAO noted that the study examined global supply and demand for TASF, which includes products derived from mammals, birds, and insects.

"It finds that the global supply of TASF has risen rapidly between 1961 and 2022. Poultry meat showed the most pronounced growth, approximately five-fold, followed by eggs and pig meat, both of which nearly doubled, while bovine meat remained stable or declined in many regions," it said.

The report found that global production of TASF reached 361 million tons of meat in 2022, up from around 71 million tons in 1961.

Meanwhile, milk production increased to 930 million tons from approximately 342 million tons, while egg production rose to 94 million tons from about 15 million tons.

"Asia is now the largest producer of terrestrial animal source foods, followed by Europe. However, production trends do not always translate into availability," FAO said.

According to the report, per capita supply is highest in North America, while Asia has relatively low availability per person.

"Food loss and waste further exacerbate these disparities and present a growing sustainability challenge. An estimated one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted, including roughly 14 percent of TASF," the report added.