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Today, Iran is grappling with a complex crisis marked by poverty, food scarcity, and a significant downturn in the livestock industry. Despite warnings from experts and state-affiliated media in recent years, the mismanagement of the country’s economy has resulted in consequences that go beyond immediate challenges. This situation not only impacts the present but also has far-reaching effects on the growth of future generations and intensifies economic hardships.
The regime’s Statistical Center reports alarming statistics, indicating a doubling of prices of red meat at the beginning of the current year compared to the previous year. Investigations in December revealed a more than 100% price increase for four commodities, leading to a loss of purchasing power for red meat. Consequently, sheep slaughter in metropolitan Tehran dropped from 26,000 to 6,000 heads, and calf slaughter declined from 35,000 to 12,000 heads.
On January 10, Cyrus Rusta, former head of the government’s livestock union, highlighted the negative impact of reduced purchasing power on the livestock industry, which has dealt a severe blow to the sector. Two years ago, widespread poverty led to the closure of 20% of supermarkets, 10% of meat product sales units, and 10% of Tehran’s butcher shops, leaving them without sales, meat, and customers.
On April 16, 2022, the state-run Tasnim News Agency wrote, “Lorestan, with over 3.6 million heads of both light and heavy livestock and an annual production of 215,000 tons of milk, is one of the significant milk producers in the country. However, these days, livestock farmers in this province face challenges due to consecutive droughts, the high cost of livestock feed, and its scarcity in the market.”
Corrupt #Iran Regime Shamelessly Exporting Meat at High Priceshttps://t.co/jJxSC0bpzC pic.twitter.com/0FjtrxXWQb
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) February 28, 2019
“Statistics from the Ministry of Health indicate that the calcium intake of the Iranian population is 40% less than the minimum recommended level,” Tasnim added. “This situation can have various consequences, including the spread of osteoporosis, dental and gum problems, stunted growth in children and adolescents, and even the prevalence of high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.”
Tasnim added, “The consumer, unable to afford the expensive price of milk, will refrain from purchasing this dairy product, leading to a significant reduction in milk and dairy consumption. Yusuf Biranvand, CEO of Lorestan Cattlemen’s Union added that with this event, we should anticipate the spread of diseases resulting from calcium deficiency in society, causing the national livestock industry and, consequently, Lorestan to be adversely affected, with the possibility of more than 30% of livestock farms being forced to close.”
On November 17, 2022, the state-run Tejarat News revealed that the financial strain on livestock farmers and their substantial loss has forced many farmers to exit the profession.
On July 14, 2023, in an interview with the official IRNA news agency, Afshin Sadr Dadras, CEO of the National Association of Light Livestock Producers, spoke about the lack of government support.
He warned, “When livestock farmers cannot supply the necessary feed for their livestock, they will have no choice but to send their productive and breeding animals to slaughterhouses. If the issues in the livestock industry are not taken seriously, we will witness a decline in the livestock population and consequently a shortage of red meat in the second half of the year. This situation will only lead to further dependence for the country.”
Drastic Increase in Prices Has Severely Reduced Food Consumption in #Iran
The increase in milk and meat prices has led to a decrease in per capita consumption of these essential needs.https://t.co/1Vsgnn2FDf pic.twitter.com/2AigloNo06— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) July 2, 2019
He emphasized that instead of supporting Iranian livestock farmers, the government purchases meat from Pakistan and Russia at higher prices and lower quality.
On May 15, 2018, the state-run Qanun Newspaper wrote, “The livestock industry in the country is a fundamental sector, involving 1.2 million households. Currently, cattle farming is not economically viable, and some lactating cows are sent to slaughterhouses. After September 2011, when the crisis engulfed the meat industry, new challenges emerged. In 2011, due to the government’s inability to pay its 280 billion tomans debt to the dairy industry, more than half of the livestock farms in Tehran province were shut down due to the unregulated import of dry milk and meat.”
On March 24, 2022, the state-run Tahriyeh website warned that the country’s current policy places the livestock industry on the brink of destruction, bringing the nation close to a food crisis.”