TEHRAN- Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) announced that production of red meat in Iran stood at 21,900 tons in the first month of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-April 19), which was two percent higher than the output in the same month of the previous year, IRNA reported.

The SCI’s report said that beef and veal had the lion’s share (55.4 percent) in the country’s red meat output during the first month with 12,100 tons, followed by lamb and mutton with 7,900 tons, goat meat with 1,420 tons, and red meat from other livestock with 421 tons.

As previously announced by the SCI, production of red meat in Iran stood at 94,900 tons in the last quarter of the past Iranian calendar year, indicating 16 percent growth compared to the same quarter in the preceding year.

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