Gradual Switching Structural Changes of Meat Consumption in Taiwan

This paper utilized a linear approximate version of the Almost Ideal Demand System to evaluate structural changes of meat consumption in Taiwan. Time transition paths for each product were identified and first-order autocorrelation was taken into consideration. Structural changes of beef consumption (1979-1984) were completed before structural changes of other products had started. Shifting in consumption patterns of pork (1990-1995) and poultry (1988-1994) took about the same time length. Structural changes of fishery products (1994-1996) occurred toward the end of the time period. With the gradual switching time paths, estimated elasticities show that own-price elasticities for pork, beef, and fishery products became more responsive to their own-price changes.