Tehran - Iran has reached full self-sufficiency in dairy production and is now exporting surplus milk and butter, according to the deputy minister for livestock products affairs.

 

Mohammad-Ebrahim Hassan-Nejad reported that the country produces 12.8 million tons of milk annually and exports more than 2.5 million tons of dairy products.

 

He emphasized that Iran, once dependent on imports for virtually all dairy products, now not only meets domestic demand entirely but has also become an exporter.

 

The deputy minister noted that Iranian dairy farms have set record production levels, with many surpassing even European producers—despite Europe being home to the original Holstein cattle breed. He attributed these advances to private sector investment and the leadership of the National Breeding Improvement Center, adding that productivity continues to rise.

 

Looking ahead, Hassan-Nejad outlined the ministry’s strategy to stabilize milk production while shifting part of the sector’s capacity toward red meat production.

 

“Currently, 80 percent of Iran’s red meat is produced domestically, with plans to increase this share to 90 percent by the end of the Seventh Development Plan.”