Chicken on top

New survey shows 34 percent of Pakistanis prefer to eat chicken while 33 per cent like mutton and 31 per cent beef.

ISLAMABAD: According to a Gilani Research Foundation survey carried out by Gallup Pakistan, 31 per cent are fond of beef, 33 per cent are inclined towards mutton and 34 per cent like chicken.

This is a notable change from 25 years ago. In 1986, a similar Gallup and Gilani poll had found that 51 per cent preferred mutton, 34 per cent liked beef while chicken was popular among 14 per cent only.

The change is mostly from mutton to chicken. Thereis not much change in the status of beef. The popularity of chicken has risen from 14 per cent 25 years ago to 34 per cent in 2010. By the same account the popularity of mutton has declined from 51 per cent to 33 per cent.

It may be noted that preference is both in terms of what is liked and what is used. The two aspects get blended into each other when consumers are asked this type of question.

A detailed analysis of the recent data shows that the popularity of chicken is slightly higher among urbanites, 39 per cent than rural ones 32 per cent and among women 39 per cent than men 30 per cent.