TEHRAN- Production of cow milk in Iran rose three percent during the first quarter of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-June 20) from its previous quarter, according to the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI).

SCI put the quarterly cow milk output at 1.9 million tons, IRIB reported.

Last December, the secretary of Iran Dairy Industries Union noted that Iran is among the top milk-producing countries in the world.

“Close to 7 million tons of milk is produced in the country annually, 450,000 tons of which are exported as dairy products,” Reza Bakeri said.

He further put the country’s annual dairy products output at seven million tons and said that of this figure some 450,000 tons valued at $770 million are exported.

The official also said that some 120,000 persons have direct jobs while 480,000 persons have indirect jobs in 400 companies active in the dairy industry in Iran.

He said Iran’s main dairy importers are Iraq, Afghanistan, and Russia, adding that Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Japan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia are other export destinations.

MA/MA