TEHRAN- Statistical Center of Iran (SCI) announced that production of red meat in Iran stood at 30,400 tons in the third month of the current Iranian calendar year (May 21-June 20), showing 39 percent growth compared to the same month in the past year, IRNA reported.

The SCI’s report said that beef and veal had the lion’s share (56.4 percent) in the country’s red meat output during the third month with 17,200 tons, followed by lamb and mutton with 10,500 tons, goat meat with 2,100 tons, and red meat from other livestock with 623 tons. 

As previously announced by the SCI, production of red meat in Iran stood at 30,900 tons in the second month of the current Iranian calendar year (April 20-May 20).

The SCI’s report indicated that beef and veal had the lion’s share (55.7 percent) in the country’s red meat output during the second month with 17,200 tons, followed by lamb and mutton with 11,000 tons, goat meat with 2,100 tons, and red meat from other livestock with 552 tons.

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