TEHRAN- Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) announced that production of red meat in Iran stood at 52,800 tons in the fifth month of the current Iranian calendar year (July 23-August 22), showing 43 percent 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 fifth month with 28,232 tons, followed by lamb and mutton with 20,189 tons, goat meat with 3,440 tons, and red meat from other livestock with 939 tons. 

Also, the amount of red meat supply in the official slaughterhouses of the country in the fifth month of this year has decreased two percent compared to the previous month.

Iran’s deputy agriculture minister, Morteza Rezaei has said that currently the per capita consumption of red meat is 12.5 kilograms, chicken meat 31.25 kilograms, raw milk 124 kilograms, eggs 11.72 kilograms and honey 1.35 kilograms in the country.

Iran is among the leading consumers of red meat in the West Asia 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 U.S. and Australia, mainly due to the prohibition of pork in Islamic law.

The major part 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.

MA/MA