Tehran – Iran has imported less than 30,000 tons of red meat since the start of the current fiscal year, a drastic reduction compared to last year, as part of a government initiative to achieve self-sufficiency, an industry official announced.

 

The announcement comes alongside the launch of a new domestic water buffalo breeding program, aimed at significantly boosting local production of meat and milk.

 

Seyed Fakhreddin Amerian, head of the country’s Livestock Product Importers Association, revealed the figures in a press conference, saying that the country's annual demand for red meat is approximately 900,000 tons. “The minimal import volume this year highlights the government's intensified focus on meeting this need domestically.”

 

He noted that in the previous year, 238,000 tons of fresh and frozen red meat were imported and supplied to the market, clarifying that a portion of those imports was actually carried over for use this year, helping to enable the current import slowdown.

 

However, this policy shift has created significant financial strain for importers, Amerian said, stating that importers are still owed $500 million by the government for shipments they brought into the country last year.