The RS has historically had more plentiful meat, thus the popularity of churrasco here. Also, while I'm not very well travelled, I've had people from the rest of the country react with shocked gasps when I mentioned that I drink tap water at home, turns out the situation is quite different in the northern areas. As someone once told me: "a relative travelled to the RS once, he told me it is almost like a different country."
> Meat is a luxury for the better part of our population
Yeah, i dont know in what Brazil the OP is living in.. meat is pretty much as "rice and beans" even for the poor ones.. and in no way is a luxury item
Maybe by meat he means "Picanha" and the most noble parts.. which is indeed expensive and not a "everyday meat"..
Note: i was born in the south, raised be "churrascos".. and now live in northeast.. considered by the south brazillians like low-income.. but the reality.. is far from truth..
This country is very big, and we need to know ourselves better.. the old rules and believes no more applies..
(Northeast is now in a constant uprise economically while south and southeast are pratically economically frozen)
Meat is not a luxury in Recife, one of the cities mentioned in the article. Here, even low income families eat meat every day, despite being low quality meat. Red meat is more expensive, but chicken is very common.