Iran’s Dairy and Meat Consumption Declines Sharply Amid Rising Poverty
Source: The DairyNews
Iran has experienced a significant decrease in dairy and meat consumption over the past decade, driven by escalating poverty resulting from the government's inefficient economic policies. Dairy consumption has dropped by 30%, while meat consumption has decreased by 17%.
In a recent announcement, Mohammad Reza Bani-Taba, spokesman for Iran’s Dairy Industry Association, revealed that per capita milk and dairy consumption in Iran has fallen to 70 kg per year, less than half the global average. While Bani-Taba did not specify the exact timeline of this decline, data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicates a decrease from 101 kg in 2010 to 70 kg in 2023.
Comparatively, citizens of neighboring Turkey consume 3.5 times more milk and dairy products than Iranians. Turkey produces over 21 million tons of milk and dairy products annually, exporting less than 0.5 million tons. In contrast, Iran, with only a third of Turkey's production, exports four times more than its western neighbor. This surge in exports, up 500% in recent years, is attributed to declining domestic demand and the discontinuation of the school milk distribution program in the mid-2010s. However, the government plans to reinstate this program by the end of 2023.
Meat consumption in Iran has also seen a decline, with FAO statistics showing a reduction from 38.6 kg per capita in 2010 to 31.8 kg in 2023, a 17% decrease. Meat prices have experienced the highest inflation among food items, with a 100% increase in mid-2023 and a 74% year-on-year rise last month.
Comparatively, citizens of neighboring Turkey consume 3.5 times more milk and dairy products than Iranians. Turkey produces over 21 million tons of milk and dairy products annually, exporting less than 0.5 million tons. In contrast, Iran, with only a third of Turkey's production, exports four times more than its western neighbor. This surge in exports, up 500% in recent years, is attributed to declining domestic demand and the discontinuation of the school milk distribution program in the mid-2010s. However, the government plans to reinstate this program by the end of 2023.
Meat consumption in Iran has also seen a decline, with FAO statistics showing a reduction from 38.6 kg per capita in 2010 to 31.8 kg in 2023, a 17% decrease. Meat prices have experienced the highest inflation among food items, with a 100% increase in mid-2023 and a 74% year-on-year rise last month.
