November 4, 2019

22% drop in Iran's red meat production during summer 2019

Iran's red meat production has declined 22% during this year's summer compared to the same season in 2018, the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) announced.

As the SCI has reported, 77,000 tonnes of red meat have been produced in the country during summer, IRNA reported.

The report said that beef and veal had the lion's share in the country's red meat output during summer with 43,000 tonnes, followed by lamb and mutton with 25,700 tonnes, goat meat with 6,100 tonnes, and buffalo meat with 590 tonnes.

Iran is among the leading consumers of red meat in the Middle East region with lamb being the most sought after.

However, the consumption per person is around a third of what is normally seen in countries like the United States and Australia, mainly due to the prohibition of pork in Islamic law. 

Around 10% of the domestic demand is responded to with imports from countries like Brazil, where Iranian supervisors directly control culling methods to ensure they comply with religious rules.

- Tehran Times