Nomads in Iran produce 5.7 million tons of goods every year, mostly livestock products and handicrafts, the head of Nomadic Affairs Organization said. “Nomads produce 190,000 tons of red meat per year, accounting for 25% of the domestic red meat production,” Karamali Qandali was quoted as saying by ISNA. Nomads reportedly own nearly 4% of Iran’s total livestock and 28% of poultry. Some 200,000 head of livestock were exported by nomads in the first two months of the current Iranian year (started March 20). Last year, the government allocated $47 million in loans to nomads for red meat production. According to Qandali, Iran has 1.2 million nomads.
