Food Self-Sufficiency Rate Drops to 47 Percent

The food self-sufficiency rate has dropped to its lowest level after decreasing two years in a row.

Research shows that the consumption of protein and fat has been on the increase, that calcium and vitamins have continued to be consumed at lower than the average recommended amounts.

According to the 2002 Food Supply and Demand Chart released by the Korea Rural Economic Institute, the food self-sufficiency rate based on the calorie standard reached 47.1 percent in 2002, which marked the lowest level recorded since the research began.

The caloric self-sufficiency rate, which shows the proportion of domestic foods, is one of the major indicators that measures a nation’s capacity to feed itself.

The rate has continuously decreased in years past, from 79.5 percent in 1970 to 49 percent in 1999, but it showed a slight rebound to 50.6 percent in 2000. However, it decreased yet again the next year, falling to 49.2 percent in 2001.

The lowest self-sufficient food category was beans with 8.8 percent, which means the highest reliance rate on imported beans, grain, and fruits came in at 31 percent and 88.9 percent individually.

The staple food, rice, has recorded a surplus in supply until 2001, but the supporting rate of rice dropped to 99.2 percent in 2002.

The sufficiency rate of barley was 60.4 percent. Wheat and corn rates were reported to be 0.2 percent and 0.7 percent. This shows a near total lack of domestic production of those crops.

Fish and shellfish, dairy and meat self-sufficiency rates have not reached 90 percent, posting records of 63.1 percent, 81 percent, and 82 percent individually.

The food items that recorded over 100 percent self-sufficiency rates were seaweeds (123.4 percent) and eggs (100 percent) among all the food items on the research list.

The average number of calories supplied to each individual citizen each day in 2002 was 2,292, an eight calorie decrease from 2001. This is lower than Western countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, that showed a 3,300 average calorie intake per person per day, but it is higher than the Southeastern countries like the Philippines, India, and Pakistan that recorded 2,400 calories supplied per person a day.

On a nutritional basis, protein showed a 0.3g increase to 98.6g (per day), and 85.5g for fat with a 1.7 g increase. These figures show clearly that Koreans have more westernized food tastes than before.

On the other hand, the supply amount for calcium was 644mg, 12mg less than the amount in 2001, and less than the daily recommended amount of 700mg. The supplied amounts for vitamins B, B, and B₃also showed a drop.

By food items, the average supply amount for rice a day was 509.8g in 1986 and 425.29g in 2002. Meanwhile, the supply amount for meat doubled over the same period.

In the case of fish and shellfish, the average annual amount supplied per person was 69.3kg, which was more than Japan (65.8kg), Taiwan (35.5kg), and France (31.1kg).

Ki-Jeong Ko koh@donga.com