쇠고기·돼지고기 유통실태 분석 및 개선과제

Abstract

이 연구는 축산물 중 쇠고기 및 돼지고기 유통주체들의 유통실태 및 향후 유통변화 방향을 조사·분석하여 개선과제를 도출할 목적으로 수행되었다. 이를 위해 축산 관련협회 및 전문가의 협조를 통해 유통단계별로 유통주체에 대한 설문조사 및 현장방문조사 등을 실시하였다.

The instability of meat price is worsening due to many factors: increase in feed price which takes up a large share of production cost; increase in the price of raw materials such as oil which is essential for processing and distributing meat; instability of demand and supply of meat caused by livestock diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza (AI); production structure consisted mostly of small farms despite on-going expansion of farm size; and complicated distribution structure with many entities handling processing and distribution operations.

As the instability of meat price is directly connected with the instability of livestock farmers' earnings, stabilization of meat price is very important to livestock farmers' earnings and stable management of livestock farming. Furthermore, even though the proportion of livestock products in the total consumer expenditure is small, consumers feel that the price of livestock products is higher than that of daily household items as they purchase the product more frequently and the price is more fluctuating. Accordingly, stabilizing meat price is very important for both the producers and consumers.

For the stabilization of meat price, stabilization of demand and supply is more important than anything else, but improving the distribution structure from production to consumption is also very important. Therefore, this research aims to derive tasks for stabilizing meat price and improving the distribution structure and present a direction for improvement in different stages of the distribution cycle based on a survey of distributors on the current state of the market.

The contents of this research are largely comprised of five parts. The first part covers the necessity of research, the purpose and method of research, and a review of preceding researches. The second part covers the distribution stage at production sites. In the second part, the actual state of distribution, distribution costs and tasks for the improvement of distribution were surveyed and analyzed. The third part covers slaughtering and processing stages. The fourth part covers the consumption stage. In the fourth part, improvement tasks are presented concerning large discount stores and butcher shops, and the factors influencing consumers' purchase of meat are analyzed. The last part derived tasks for meat price stabilization and distribution improvement based on the analysis results on each distributor type and distribution stage.

Major findings of this research are summarized as follows:

First, the ratio of consignment of Korean cattle to cooperatives by cattle farmers is the highest among distribution routes, and the proportion of direct shipping to wholesale markets and joint markets is the second highest. Direct shipping to wholesale markets and joint markets is suggested as the route which should be expanded the most in the future for stabilization of meat price and improvement of distribution. The survey result reveals that the proportion of Korean native cattle farmers who said that the expansion of direct trade with buyers is necessary is higher than the actual proportion of direct trade with buyers.

Second, in the case of hog farmers, the share of sales to affiliated meat processing companies is on the high side among distribution routes. However, the farmers cited contract-based sales to cooperatives at production sites as their future distribution route, and this means that they want the cooperatives at production sites to expand their purchasing business and buy from them. Meanwhile, both Korean native cattle and hog farmers put emphasis on stable price guarantee rather than high price when selecting a shipping route.

Third, among the distribution business of cooperatives at production sites, consignment for auction has the highest proportion in the case of Korean native cattle while consignment for brokerage has the highest proportion in the case of pig, which indicates that there are differences depending on the kind of livestock. However, batch purchase is suggested as the future shipping method, preferred by both Korean native cattle and pig farmers. Currently, the proportion of sales to stores or restaurants that are directly run by cooperatives is very low, but the stores and restaurants under their direct management are suggested by many of them as the future shipping route for business expansion.

Fourth, as for wholesale markets, joint markets, livestock processing centers, and general slaughter houses, the proportions of toll slaughter and auction are high and the proportion of purchasing business is very low in the case of Korean native cattle whereas, in the case of pig, the proportion of toll slaughter is the highest but the proportion of affiliated purchasing business is significantly higher than that of Korean native cattle. The proportion of responses which said that general and affiliated purchase should be expanded as future expansion route was 57.2% in the case of Korean native cattle and 71.5% in the case of pig, which is much higher than actual proportions.

Fifth, in the case of purchase route, the purchase of Korean native cattle and pigs by meat processing companies is mostly done in the form of consignment purchase and direct purchase through wholesalers or collecting agents at production sites. On the other hand, consignment and direct trade with cooperatives at production sites are suggested more as future purchase routes compared to actual proportions of purchase routes. Even though the current sales routes of meat-processing companies are concentrated on regular butcher shops and restaurants, meat-processing companies want to diversify their sales routes to large discount stores, department stores, and their branch shops and restaurants.

Sixth, in the case of large discount stores and super-supermarket chains, the purchase routes of Korean native cattle are different from company to company, whereas most purchases of pork are made from meat-processing companies. The future supply routes for business expansion are also different from company to company, and the supply routes include meat processing companies, cooperatives at production sites, farming households and auction. In the case of butcher shops, the proportion of purchase through intermediary distribution companies and wholesalers is the highest when buying dressed carcass, while the proportion of meat processing companies is high when buying cut meat.

Seventh, consumers regard country of origin as the most important factor when purchasing meat, and price is the second most important factor. As to the place of purchase, large discount stores, where buying goods other than meat is easy, and butcher shops that are easily accessible take up high shares. However, consumers want to see expansion of branch stores of high-quality brand meat.

Eighth, a survey was conducted to find out about the degree of importance of 15 policy tasks for stabilizing meat price and improving the distribution structure. In the case of Korean native cattle, expansion of direct trade was ranked high among all the key players of the distribution market. The policy tasks of 'expansion of cut meat distribution,' 'improvement of the pricing system,' 'activation of cooperative-type affiliation,' 'restructuring of slaughter houses,' and 'stringent crackdown on ill-treated meat' are ranked in the top five of the policy tasks by at least 3 key players of the distribution market. Korean native cattle farmers and slaughter houses responded that expansion of direct trade is the most needed policy to stabilize price and improve distribution efficiency, while producer cooperatives said stimulation of cooperative-type affiliation is the most needed policy. Cut meat processing companies chose revitalization of the cut meat distribution market as the most needed policy, whereas butcher shops picked 'stringent crackdown on ill-treated meat' as the most needed policy.

Ninth, in the case of pig, expansion of direct trade was ranked high by all the distribution players. The policy tasks that are ranked in the top 5 by more than 3 key players of the distribution market are 'stringent crackdown on ill-treated meat', 'stimulation of cooperative-type affiliation,' 'restructuring of slaughter houses,' 'improvement of the pricing system,' 'productivity enhancement through modernization of livestock shed facilities and technology development,' and 'expansion of cut meat distribution.' 'Expansion of direct trade' is evaluated as the most needed policy by slaughter houses and cut meat processing companies, whereas hog farmers favored productivity enhancement through modernization of livestock shed facilities and technology development. Producer cooperatives picked 'stimulation of cooperative-type affiliation' as the top policy task, and butcher shops chose 'stringent crackdown on ill-treated meat' as the most needed policy.

Researchers: Myoungki Lee, Hyung-woo Lee. Research Period: 2011.1~2011.10 E-mail address: mklee@krei.re.kr