TEHRAN – Iranian dairy producers have the capacity to produce 70,000 tons of butter annually, according to the deputy agriculture minister.

“We have the capacity to produce more than 70,000 tons of butter annually and this capacity can be even increased,” ILNA quoted Morteza Rezaei as saying on Tuesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to a dairy production unit in Tehran Province, Rezaei noted that despite the fact that Iran is one of the biggest producers of milk in West Asia, there has been little work done in the butter production sector, but the situation is getting better in this regard.

"In recent years, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade, we have launched butter production units, and I am proud to announce that shortly domestically produced butter will be on people's tables."

The measures taken by the mentioned ministries, in addition to the development of the country’s dairy industry, will save the country significant amounts of currency outflow, he stressed.

The country is expected to produce 11.5 million tons of raw milk in the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 20) and the exports of dairy products are expected to reach more than 900,000 tons, he said.

Back in February, Rezaei had said that regulating the market and meeting the domestic needs is one of the agriculture ministry’s top priority and exports are only pursued if the domestic needs are met.

The official noted that currently, the country has an ideal and favorable condition in all fields of production and supply of livestock products such as milk, poultry, eggs, and red meat.

In late December 2019, the Secretary of Iran Dairy Industries Union Reza Bakeri said over $700 million worth of dairy products is exported from Iran annually.

Iran is among the top milk-producing countries in the world.

EF/MA