Annual rice consumption per capita has been steadily declining for 40 years, reaching a new all-time low last year. While the use of rice in processed foods and alcohol has increased, consumption by manufacturers for rice cakes, noodles and snacks has decreased.

Statistics Korea’s “2024 Rice Consumption Survey Results” revealed that for the 2023-2024 crop year (Nov. 1, 2023 to Oct. 31, 2024), per capita rice consumption was 55.8 kilograms, a 1.1 percent decrease (0.6 kg) from the previous year.

This marks the 40th consecutive year of decline dating to 1984, when consumption was 130.1 kg, bringing it to the lowest level since records began in 1963, when it was 105.5 kg. The decline accelerated in the 1990s, dropping below 100 kg in 1998, and has remained in the range of 50-60 kg since 2019.

For the first time in three years, the rate of decline exceeded 1 percent, reaching 1.1 percent, following smaller decreases of 0.4 percent in 2022 and 0.6 percent in 2023. Last year, daily rice consumption per person also dropped to a record low of 152.9 grams, a 1.1 percent decrease compared to the previous year.