Imported Meat Safe

The ‘Tazirat’ organization (a judiciary-affiliated ombudsman dealing with trading offenses) has guaranteed the safety of imported meat in Tehran’s chain stores, dismissing rumors that it could be infected.

Meat is imported from Australia and Central Asian countries to control prices as part of the so-called market adjustment plan.

A joint team of inspectors including experts from the Tehran Veterinary Organization and headed by Tazirat’s Tehran office visited chain stores in the capital late last week to inspect the sale of the imported products.

Bahman Hassan Beygi, head of the joint effort, said that the products are of high quality and all rumors about their safety concerns are baseless.

“Veterinarians monitor the products all through the process from the country of origin to the domestic market,” he told IRIB News Agency.

“The quality of the meat equals those produced in the country. The organization even makes sure that the meat is halal (permissible as per Islamic law),” Saeed Karami, health deputy at TVO, said, reassuring people that the meat in the market is safe to use.

However, he noted that the meat can be used only within three days from the day it enters the country.

Stores selling the imported meat must have signs both at their entrance and at the section where the meat is sold. Furthermore, the products must bear a market adjustment plan tag.

Violations can be reported via Tazirat’s hotline, 135, or the Industries Ministry hotline, 124.

“Inspection teams will then make unannounced visit to stores in question and investigate the matter,” Hassan Beygi said.

The recent rise in the price of meat has been attributed to several factors. Authorities blame it on the activities of middlemen and profiteers in the market while livestock producers maintain that excessive export, shortage of livestock and decrease in domestic production are the main reasons for the increase in the price of meat, particularly lamb.

Imports were allowed as a possible solution but appear to be ineffective simply because they failed to lower market prices.

A kilo of beef and meat cost 97,940 rials ($2.49) and 132,250 rials ($3.50) respectively in 2009-10. Beef shot up 214% to reach 308,500 rials ($8.18) while lamb meat increased 125% and was sold for 298,790 rials ($7.93) in 2013-14.

During the tenure of the present government beef and lamb prices experienced a 19% and 42% increase.

Ali Kaghazlou, an expert at the Ministry of Agriculture, told the news agency that meat from Holland, New Zealand and Romania will also enter the market soon.