Romania exports sheep meat to Iran

By Emea Riga
Romania exports sheep meat and sheep to Iran, with around 800,000 heads expected to leave within six months to this destination following the opening of the export market for sheep, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced on Sunday MARD).
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announces that the export market for sheep with the Republic of Iran has been opened thanks to the diplomatic efforts and the Government of Romania in the last period. Thus, in January 2019 the export certificate model was agreed between the National Veterinary Sanitary Authority and Food Safety in Romania (ANSVSA) and the Veterinary Organization of Iran, with the release of live sheep and goat exports to Iran, “MADR said in a statement posted on the site.
In this context, on February 4, 2019, Iran entered the first transport of 20 tonnes of sheepmeat from Romania, this being just the beginning of a contract with a great potential for development. The exporter, a trading company in Bacau, will continue to work with Iranian economic agents, discussing other transports, land or air, in the period ahead, estimates show an export of about 1,000 tons a month.
“MADR welcomes this success, in the context of a very high demand in Iran of sheep and sheep meat in live and ever-increasing numbers, in an area where our country has ample possibilities.
The talks between Romanian businessmen and Iranian companies interested in such cooperation are in a very advanced stage, and within six months, Romanian economic agents will export to Iran a staff of approximately 800,000 sheep, among them which 200,000 will be sent to the destination country by a commercial company in Bucharest, and the rest by a company in Timis county “, the communiqué says.
According to the cited source, the Iranian authorities are working with ANSVSA at the time of unblocking imports and cattle.
In 2017, Romania ranks fourth among the Member States, after the United Kingdom, Spain and Greece, in sheep and goat flocks with a total of 11.485 million heads, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics. Except for 2010, these herds have registered increases each year, in 2017 being recorded by 36.6% more times and goats than in 2006.