The trend of declining rice consumption has been consistent since Statistics Korea began tracking it in 1962.

Song Seung-hyun ,The Korea Herald

SEOUL – Per capita rice consumption in South Korea reached an all-time low in 2024, continuing a decades-long decline, according to new government data.

A report released by Statistics Korea shows that the average South Korean consumed 55.8 kilograms of rice last year, down 0.6 kilogram, or 1.1 percent, from the previous year.

This marks a dramatic drop in the consumption of the country’s most essential staple food from 1994 when the per capita figure was 120.5 kilograms — more than double last year’s.

The trend of declining rice consumption has been consistent since Statistics Korea began tracking it in 1962.

While households are eating less rice, its use in food and beverage manufacturing is booming, and it is finding a new life in South Korea’s alcohol market.

The food and beverage sector consumed 873,363 metric tons of rice in 2024 — a 6.9 percent increase from the previous year. Alcohol production accounted for 26.2 percent of the manufacturing sector’s rice usage.

Rice used in alcoholic beverage production surged by 16 percent, with the industry consuming 228,595 tons in 2024, compared to 197,102 tons in 2023.

Published Date: January 28, 2025