Iran's agriculture ministry says red meat imports from Brazil have stopped, with Pakistan the main replacement

Rouhollah Zahmatkesh, deputy for livestock production at Iran's Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, said on Saturday 1 August 2026, on the sidelines of the second specialised livestock, poultry and dairy industries exhibition at the Shahr-e Aftab site in Tehran, that Iran is currently not importing meat from Brazil and that neighbouring and regional countries will be the first choice of supply where imports are needed.

He said red meat imports from Pakistan are continuing without difficulty, describing it as one of the region's centres of large livestock production, and noted that quarantine, slaughter and import infrastructure has been built in Sistan and Baluchestan province. He added that supply is not limited to Pakistan and that capacity in countries to Iran's north can be brought in if required.

According to Eghtesad Online, concern over microbial load in some Brazilian shipments, alongside reduced buying by other customers of that market, lies behind the shift in sourcing. Zahmatkesh put Iranian red meat consumption at about 11 kilograms per person and said he was satisfied with domestic production this year thanks to favourable rainfall.