Over 100k Tons of Red Meat Lost in Iran’s Supply Chain Yearly: FAO
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – At least 100,000 tons of red meat is lost in the supply chain in Iran on a yearly basis, FAO representative office in Iran said.
Roughly one-third of the edible parts of food produced for human consumption, gets lost or wasted globally, which is about 1.3 billion ton per year, according to a research conducted under the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) sub-regional project “Capacity Building for Food Loss Reduction in the Near East”.
In Iran at least 100,000 tons of red meat is lost in the supply chain annually, which if reduced would lead to the country’s self-sufficiency in red meat production, FAO representative office in Iran said in a report released on Wednesday.
Studies commissioned by FAO estimated yearly global food loss and waste by quantity at roughly 30 percent of cereals, 40–50 percent of root crops, fruits and vegetables, 20 percent of oilseeds, meat and dairy products, and 35 percent of fish.
The average per capita consumption of meat in the world was 41.3 kg, which is estimated to reach 45.3kg by 2030 as the world’s population grows.
According to the findings of the study, currently in Iran the average per capita consumption of meat is 35.5 comprising of 12.5 kg of red meat and 23kg of poultry meat.
Iran produces 950,000 tons of red meat and 1.75 million tons of poultry meat on an annual basis, which when taking into account the import of 100,000 tons of red and poultry meat each year, results in a total figure of 2.8 million tons of meat in the country.
Although the meat loss figures in Iran are relatively low, the country still loses 300,000 tons of red and poultry meat in the form of waste.
Food losses represent a waste of resources used in production such as land, water, energy and inputs, increasing the green gas emissions in vain.
