Nutrient elasticities in meat demand: a case in Malaysia

One distinct change in Malaysian food consumption behavior is the preference for meat products over staple and grain foods intact with income growth. Having mentioned the changes in food consumption behaviors, indeed, there are changes in nutrient availability and intake as well. This study aims to provide a better understanding of meat consumption behaviors in terms of income, price, and nutrient elasticities by analyzing the Household Expenditure Survey 2004/05 data. In the first stage, expenditure and own-price elasticities are estimated via the LA/AIDS model. This is followed by an estimation of Engel function in the second stage to obtain the estimates of income elasticities for the meat products. This study shows that the major meat products (beef, pork, mutton, and poultry) are normal goods and own-price elastic. There are mixed messages obtained from the estimated nutrient elasticities.