FAO Expects Iran’s Dairy Exports to Increase by 14%

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations expects Iran’s dairy exports to rise by 14% from an estimated 1.22 million tons in 2021 to 1.39 million tons by the end of 2022.
According to FAO’s new Food Outlook report, the country’s 2018-20 average annual export was at 821,000 tons.
Production is expected to reach 8.577 million tons in 2022, sloughy above the estimated 8.53 million tons in 2021 with the 2018-20 average annual at 7.80 million tons.
Imports are expected to decrease slightly from 103,000 tons to 100,000 tons, with the average annual at 292,000 tons.
Iran’s main exported dairy products include cheese, yogurt and cream.
Iraq is the biggest destination of Iranian dairy exports. Russia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Syria are other target countries.
Iran’s dairy industry has a nominal production capacity of 12 million tons per annum. Around 650 licensed dairy production units are active across the country. 
Iran is one of the top milk-producing countries in the world, yet average per capita dairy consumption in Iran is below the global average. 
The FAO report confirms that Iran is among the top five producers of dairy products in Asia.
India is the biggest producer in the world with around 200 million tons of production per year.
The United States in the biggest exporter with over 13 million tons per year.
China is the world’s biggest importer with more than 20 million tons in 2021.