Head of Iran's livestock supply council says live animal prices fell about 30%, with male lamb at 635,000 to 640,000 tomans a kilo

Mansour Pourian, head of Iran's livestock supply council, said in remarks published on Wednesday 5 August 2026 (14 Mordad 1405) that the live animal market has seen prices fall by about 30%. He said light livestock, benchmarked on male lamb, currently trades at 635,000 to 640,000 tomans per kilo, and veal at 500,000 to 510,000 tomans per kilo.

Pourian attributed the drop to higher supply. He said the illegal export of live animals by sea to Persian Gulf countries, common in past years during spring and early summer, has fallen to zero this year because of the war, leaving many farms with accumulated stock. He added that since late March domestic production has met more than 90% of internal demand and meat imports have declined.

Asked why the fall in live animal prices has not passed through to retail meat, he said meat pricing does not follow a single rate and distribution factors play a role. Pourian also said prices for light livestock have risen in Persian Gulf countries other than Oman because of disrupted transport. The interview was credited to the ILNA news agency.