Vietnam, Not Indonesia, Tops ASEAN in Pork Consumption

Vietnam has been recorded as the country with the highest pork consumption in Southeast Asia, while Indonesia has the lowest, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2020. Vietnamese citizens consume approximately 38.2 kilogrammes of pork per person each year, a figure that far surpasses other ASEAN nations.

Singapore ranks second with consumption reaching 22 kilogrammes per capita per year, followed by Myanmar in third place with around 20.1 kilogrammes. The high consumption of pork in several ASEAN countries indicates that pork remains an important part of the local diet and culinary culture. The Philippines consumes about 14.5 kilogrammes per person per year, Laos 13.5 kilogrammes, and Thailand 13.1 kilogrammes.

Timor-Leste recorded consumption of 11.5 kilogrammes per capita, whilst Malaysia stood at 7.4 kilogrammes and Cambodia at 5.9 kilogrammes per person per year. In contrast to other countries in the region, Indonesia is the country with the lowest pork consumption in Southeast Asia, at only about 0.9 kilogrammes per capita per year. This low consumption is influenced by Indonesia’s large Muslim population, which does not consume pork, as well as differing food preferences across the country’s various regions.