Last year, Finnish people ate a good 76 kg of meat per capita on the average, i.e. 3.5 per cent more than in 2006. The consumption of vegetables increased by just under 6 per cent and that of fruit by about 7 per cent from the year before. Of dairy products, the popularity of yoghurt and skimmed milk continued to grow. Tike (Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) compiles an annual summery of the production, domestic use and consumption of the most important food groups in Finland.

Poultry meat grew in popularity
Last year, the total consumption of meat was 76.2 kg per capita. The amount increased by 2.6 kg from 2006. Poultry meat consumption increased the most, by almost 2 kg (+12%). Pork consumption increased by 0.6 kg (+1.9%), and beef consumption by 0.2 kg (+1.3%). The meat that Finns eat most is pork. Pork consumption amounts to almost 35 kg per capita. Beef consumption was 18.7 kg per capita and poultry meat consumption 17.6 kg per capita in 2007.

More vegetables and fruit were consumed than in 2006
The consumption of fresh vegetables increased by approx. 3 kg from 2006; in 2006, consumption declined from the year before. Compared to the year 2005, last year's consumption was a good kilogram higher. In 2007, the total per capita consumption of vegetables, including frozen and canned vegetables, was 68.6 kg.

The consumption of fresh fruit increased as well. The consumption citrus fruit increased by approx. one kilo from the previous year, to 13.7 kg per capita, and that of other fresh fruit by 2.3 kg, to 36.3 kg per capita. For the past five years, consumption has been on the increase, apart from the downturn in 2006. Also the consumption of conserved fruit increased from the year before, to 6.2 kg per capita (+0.8 kg). Conversely, the consumption of fruit juices fell for the second year running.

Yoghurt continues to grow in popularity
The trend in the consumption of liquid dairy products remained the same as in previous years. The consumption of yoghurt and skimmed milk continued to increase, while the consumption of whole milk, low-fat milk, sour milk and viili (curdled milk) continued to decrease, although the decreases were slightly more gentle than in previous years. Total milk consumption was 137.4 litres per capita, i.e. 0.2% less than in 2006. More than half of this amount, 75.0 litres, continued to be low-fat milk. Its consumption fell by slightly less than 2 per cent. Skimmed milk accounted for a good one third of total milk consumption, i.e. for 49.5 litres. The consumption of skimmed milk increased by 3.6% from the previous year.

The consumption of both sour milk and viili (curdled milk) decreased by 2.7% from the previous year. In 2007, sour milk consumption amounted to 13 litres and viili consumption to 5.2 litres per capita. Conversely, the consumption of yoghurt continued to increase for the fifth year running. Last year, yoghurt consumption was 21.6 litres per capita, i.e. 7.5% more than the previous year. The consumption of cream was 6.8 litres per capita, i.e. 4.5% more than the previous year.


Rye consumption increased

The total consumption of cereals increased by 1.4 kg from the previous year, to 80.1 kg per capita. Wheat accounted for approx. 60 per cent of cereal consumption. At 48 kg per capita (-0.3%), wheat consumption was almost on the same level as in 2006. Conversely, the consumption of rye increased by slightly less than half a kilogram, to 16.7 kg per capita.


No great changes in consumption of sugar and fats

At 30.9 kg per capita (-0.5%), the consumption of sugar was almost at the previous year's level.

Of fats, the consumption of butter decreased by 0.2 kg from the previous year, to 2.6 kg. The consumption of margarine and butter-vegetable mixtures remained on the same level as in 2006, at 7.5 and 2.8 kg per capita. The consumption of vegetable oils increased slightly, to 5.6 kg per capita.

Additional information
The Balance Sheet for Food Commodities compiled by Tike (Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) includes 11 food groups and as well as beverages. The Balance Sheet for Food Commodities is compiled annually in accordance with the food groupings of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

For further information, please contact actuary Tarja Kortesmaa, tel. 020 77 21 372.