August 25, 2020

Iran's chicken, red meat productions to reach 3.5 million tonnes by March 2021

Iran's overall production of red and chicken meat could reach 3.5 million tonnes by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2021), according to the country's deputy agriculture minister, Morteza Rezaei .

Red meat production will reach 880,000 tonnes, while chicken meat output is expected to reach 2.7 million tonnes, Rezaei was quoted as saying.

Rezaei also said that egg production will reach 1,650,000 tonnes during a press conference on the occasion of the Government Week (August 23-29). The official noted that, based on the official statistics in recent years, the production of red meat and chicken meat has increased by 2.5% and 6.5%, respectively.

Pointing to the per capita consumption of protein products in the country, Rezaei said: "Currently, the per capita consumption of red meat is 12.5 kilogrammes, chicken meat at 31.25 kilogrammes, raw milk at 124 kilogrammes, eggs at 11.72 kilogrammes…"

Back on August 15, the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) announced that production of red meat in Iran stood at 36,200 tonnes in the fourth month of the current Iranian calendar year (June 21-July 21), showing 19% growth compared to the same month in the past year.

The SCI's report said that beef and veal had the lion's share in the country's red meat output during the fourth month with 20,400 tonnes, followed by lamb and mutton with 12,400 tonnes, and red meat from other livestock with 709 tonnes.

A major portion of Iran's red meat imports comes from countries like Brazil, where Iranian supervisors directly control culling methods to ensure they comply with religious rules.

- Tehran Times