Romania can export mutton and sheep to Iran, 800,000 head in six months

Romania can export mutton and live sheep to Iran, with about 800,000 head expected to leave within six months to this destination, following the opening of the sheep export market, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) announced on Sunday.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announces that due to the latest diplomatic efforts of the Romanian Government, the export market for sheep with the Republic of Iran was opened. Thus, in January 2019, the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) together with the Veterinary Organization of Iran have agreed on a sanitary-veterinary export certificate, the exports of mutton and live sheep to Iran getting the go-ahead," MADR informs in a release posted on its website.

In this context, on 4 February 2019, the first transport of 20 tonnes of mutton from Romania entered Iran, this being just the beginning of a contract with a great potential for development. The exporter, a company in Bacau, will continue to cooperate with Iranian economic agents, discussions being carried out about other transports, land or air, in the period ahead, with estimates showing an export of about 1,000 tonnes a month.

"MADR welcomes this success, in the context of a very high demand in Iran for mutton and live sheep, in ever-increasing numbers, in an area where our country has ample possibilities.

Discussions between Romanian businessmen and Iranian companies interested in such cooperation are at a very advanced stage, and within six months, Romanian economic agents will export about 800,000 sheep from Iran, of 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," reads the communique.

According to the cited source, the Iranian authorities are currently working with ANSVSA to unblock imports for cattle as well.

In 2017, Romania ranked fourth among the member states, after the United Kingdom, Spain and Greece, in sheep and goat herds with a total of 11.485 million head, according to the National Institute of Statistics.