The Comparative Study On Food Consumption Structure On Mainland And Taiwan Of China

According to international experience, the per capita income of over $ 3,000 mark will be crucial food consumption restructuring. In 2013, per capita income level of urban residents has surpassed $ 3,000, the rural residents more than 1000 US dollars. China has entered the food consumption structure adjustment important period. Currently, the number of food safety of China faces on the dual pressures from population growth and constraints of resources and environment.About the food quality safety, economic highlight development generates a series of the negative impact on food safety. In view of that, the paper studied changes characteristics of residents’ food consumption structure on the perspective of comparative study of Mainland and Taiwan, as the development of economic theory, consumer economics, econometrics theory.And explored the impact factor on structural changes of food consumption.And predicted the future development trend of food consumption structure of Mainland, with reference to the development of Taiwan’s experience in food consumption.By the contrast of Engel coefficient, per capita GDP, income and consumer spending level between Mainland and Taiwan, we can determine the level of the mainland’s economic development and food consumption lags behind Taiwan about 30 years. In accordance with the level of economic development and the development of food consumption, since the 1960 s, the development stage of Taiwan food consumption is divided into food and clothing to a comfortable transition period, a well-off to rich transition period and food structural optimization; the development stage of Mainland food consumption, since the reform and opening up,is divided food and clothing to a comfortable transition period,and well-off to nutrition and health transition period.The comparative conclusion from the overall level of economic development and the food consumption development, food consumption, food consumption and dietary structure both Mailand and Taiwan, indicated the same trend of Mainland and Taiwan food consumption in the similar stage of development. Per capita food consumption existed differences between Mainland and Taiwan, but increasingly narrow gap. In Taiwan and Mainland the proportion of animal food consumption increased,and the proportion of plant food consumption share decline. Before reaching the level of affluence, the nutrient intake showed an increasing trend. And then, the food consumption are cut-off.Taiwan’s development tend has shown that the presence of an inflection point.Income and price changes is still an important factor affecting food consumption structure.But the influence degree for different foods are different from income and price. Most food consumption expenditure elasticity is positive, and all kinds of food price elasticity are negative on Mainland and Taiwan.The comparative analysis of various of food expenditure elasticity and the price elasticity,indicated adjustment of income is more effective than the intervention price for vegetables, meat and aquatic products consumption.But for eggs, milk and fruit consumption, the price effect is more significant. Social structural factors,such as urbanization, the houshold size and the aging population,have an impact on food consumption structure changes.References to Taiwan’s development experience, in the future the staple food consumption share of Mainland urban residents will decrease;vegetable, fruit, meat and dairy consumption share will grow; fish and egg consumption share will stay at present level. According to the forecast food consumption data of Mainland in 2020, the domestic production will face enormous pressure, if it still ensure self-sufficiency level in 2012. Therefore, it should ensure the staple food demand,and regulate the level of self-sufficiency rate of other food.It is necessary international and domestic resources and markets are used to ensure domestic supply and demand balance.