TEHRAN – Iran imported 8.5 million tons of animal feed inputs in the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-October 21), down 10 percent compared to the corresponding period in the previous year.

According to the Iran Feed and Grain Importers Union (IFGIU), some 9.5 million tons of the mentioned products were imported into the country in the previous year’s same seven months, IRIB reported.

The total value of imports of livestock inputs in the said period stood at over $2.377 billion, 18 percent less than the same period last year in which $2.903 billion worth of such products were imported.

As reported, during the first seven months of this year, 5,849,809 tons of corn worth $1.412 billion was imported into the country, an increase of 20 percent in terms of weight and 17 percent in terms of value, compared to 4,869,460 million worth $1.206 billion in the same period of last year.

Meanwhile, some 1,097,709 tons of barley worth $268.271 million was also imported, registering a decrease of 40 percent and 44 percent in terms of weight and value, respectively, compared to the corresponding period in the previous year.

The imports of other inputs including soybean meal and soybean, both declined in the mentioned period.

According to the Iranian Association of Feed Importers, there are 400 animal feed importing companies in Iran, of which only 70 are currently active.

Earlier in June, the managing director of Iran’s Livestock Affairs Support Company Hassan Abbasi Maroufan said that more than 1.8 million tons of livestock feed ingredients were supplied to the country’s feed producers in 70 days since the beginning of the current year.

“Of course, the country's demand during this period was 2.2 million tons, which wasn’t met due to the slowness of the transportation system following the coronavirus outbreak,” the official said.

EF/MA