Butter Imports Hit $72m in Five Months

EghtesadOnline: Close to 15,000 tons of butter worth close to 2.34 trillion rials ($72 million) were imported into Iran during the five months to Aug. 22, figures released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration say.

News ID: ۷۸۰۴۰۵

13 November 2017

The UAE, New Zealand, Turkey, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Uruguay and Belgium were the main countries from where butter was imported over the five-month period, Young Journalists Club reported.

According to Secretary of Iran’s Dairy Industries Society Reza Bakeri, Iran’s annual butter consumption currently stands at 45,000-50,000 tons.

Close to 90% of domestic demand for the dairy product are met via imports, as domestic production has a small share. The big part of imported butter is consumed at breakfast and a small share is used for industrial purposes, according to Financial Tribune.

Deputy Agriculture Minister Hassan Rokni said the government plans to become self-sufficient in butter production within the next 10 years through selective livestock breeding for increasing the fat content of milk.

Iran’s first-ever lactic butter production line with a production capacity of 7,000 tons a year was launched in Tehran in May.

Lactic butter is made from whole milk that has been fermented with lactic acid. It has a low moisture content and strong flavor.