Friday, November 19, 2010

Dietary energy consumption in South Asia

Consumption of 9 major vegetal foods (2003-2005) 
FAO Stat 2009 DIETARY ENERGY CONSUMPTION (kcal/person/day)
COUNTRIES Rice Wheat Maize Pulses    Sugar    raw eq.  Potatoes Soybean oil Palm oil Rape & mustard oil
Bangladesh 1,580 172 30 41 51 42 39 78 16
India 699 498 39 108 172 28 45 67 40
Nepal 831 349 382 77 41 88 27 80 47
Pakistan 160 876 90 62 253 19 13 149 24
Sri Lanka 925 343 53 66 287 13 1   0

Apparently, Bangladeshis get the highest amount of calorie per day from rice. It is also true in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. However, Pakistanis get the highest calorie per day from wheat. Rice is relative more popular in Bangladesh, wheat in Pakistan, maize in Nepal, pulses in India, sugar in Sri Lanka, potatoes in Nepal, soybean oil in India, palm oil in Pakistan, and rape & mustard oil in Nepal. The people in the Indian subcontinent have different tastes. (Source: FAO Statistical Year Book 2009)