EXIGENCIES, PREFERENCES AND LIMITATIONS OF BEEF CONSUMERS OF PANAMA.

Abstract

With the objective of knowing exigencies, preferences and limitations of the beef consumers of Panama, it was carried out a static survey in the principal cities of province or CAB (David, Santiago, Las Tablas, Chitre and Penonome) and the capital (Panama City and San Miguelito). There were surveyed 1447 people. Surveyed people earn 11% more in salary, pay 12.3% more per kilo of meat and consume 45.5% less than CAB. In CAB, 26.3 and 22.0% of consumer prefer lomo de cinta and pulpa negra, respectively, but in CAP people prefer filete (42.4%) and lomo mulato (27.5%). In CAP, 82.9 and 48.4%, and in CAB, 56.9 and 25.4% consider price high by quality received and would paid higher price for better quality and presentation. In CAB and CAP, 64.0 and 69.1% consumers prefer vacuum package, respectively. In CAB, 82.3, 54.9 and 82.8% consider beef colour, fat colour and taste, respectively, as pleasant; while in CAP represented 61.2, 70.0 and 78.2%. Beef was qualified as aromatic by 52.5 and 54.6% in CAB and CAP, and tender by 55.2 and 78.2%, respectively. As juicy was qualified by the 62.8% in CAB, but by 47.5% in CAP. Marbling was qualified as little presence in CAB (31.1%) and CAP (29.3%). Beef limiting consumption are the effect in health (45.3% in CAB and 49.5% in CAP), bad presentation (23.0% in CAP) and high price (33.5% in CAB). Future preferences in CAP are fat colour and beef colour (41.1 and 36.0%), but in CAB are beef colour and tenderness (49.1 and 27.1%, respectively). It was concluded that exists strong differences in exigencies, preferences and limitations among beef consumers of CAB and CAP.