Factors affecting meat consumption in Sulaymaniyah city of Iraqi Kurdistan

Niga Rzgar Abdalla

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Global average meat consumption increased considerably during the last fifty years; the biggest share of the increase is coming from emerging countries. Iraqi Kurdistan is one of the low-income regions, the area faced an economic crisis from 2014 to 2018 that made a change in the level of food consumption The main aims of the study were to determine the effect of demographic characteristics, household characteristics, especially income, and consumer behaviours on meat consumption in one of the cities in the region, as well as the change in the patterns of meat consumption during the crisis.A quantitative exploratory questionnaire survey was used to collect 233 filled questionnaires in Sulaymaniyah city using quota sampling. Data analysis programme SPSS was used for statistical data analysis. Multiple linear regression model and Chi-squared test were used to analyse the data. The result from the analysis shows that among the most important factors that statistically significant relation to meat consumption are income, gender, preferences for the taste and importance of fat content in the meat for the consumer. While characteristics such as age, education, household size and concerns about animal welfare did not have an effect on meat consumption in the area in our model.The study can fill a gap in the field of consumer behaviours and be used as a source for future research. Also, the meat producers and sellers can take advantage of the finding from the study to understand consumer preferences and satisfaction and use more appropriate marketing strategies.

Keywords

Consumer behaviour, economic crisis, meat production, household income, red and white meat

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 26. 4. 2019

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Miroslava Bavorová, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / International Development and Agricultural Economics