Continuous Increase in Red Meat Prices in Iran, a Threat to the Health of Low-Income Families

The continuous increase in red meat prices in Iran has led to the removal of this essential food item from the tables of many low-income families. This concerning trend has raised alarms about malnutrition among vulnerable segments of society. According to Donya-e-Eqtesad, Masoud Rasouli, the secretary of the Meat and Protein Industry Association of the country, pointed out that the price of meat has risen in recent months while per capita consumption has decreased, stating: "The free market price of meat is not subject to any approved rate, and since March 14, 2023, no government price for meat has been announced." According to this industry official, the free meat market has also grown in line with general inflation, although this increase has been less compared to some other goods. Nevertheless, the noticeable reduction in meat purchases in the market indicates that per capita meat consumption in Iran has sharply declined. The global average per capita meat consumption is 30 kilograms per year, while this figure in Iran is only 5 kilograms. The continuation of this trend could lead to widespread malnutrition. Khabar Online reported on April 27 that the price of red meat per kilogram in 2023 increased by 63.5% to over 600,000 tomans, leading to a significant drop in its per capita consumption. According to Khabar Online, the price of lamb shoulder in the second week of Farvardin last year was 370,000 tomans per kilogram, and this figure rose by 63.5% to 605,000 tomans in the last week of Esfand.