Mongolia targets Iranian halal market
Mongolia is targeting Iran meat market to increase its sheep meat exports. As the halal market worldwide is growing continuously the Asian country has become interested in opening new markets for its meat output, reports Reuters.
Mongolia's national flock is about 30 million sheep, larger than New Zealand's but volume exports are still poor. Last year, due to an increase in demand from Middle East countries like Iran, sheep meat exports volume reached 2,601 tonnes, a figure 11 times bigger than the one reported in 2016.
The first half of 2018 is looking more promising for the Mongolian meat exporters as the volume has grown by 775.6 tonnes. "The halal meat market is growing worldwide, promising new opportunities for Mongolia", declared Ochirbat Begz, executive director of the Mongolia Meat Association.
At this point, halal meat produced in Mongolia is supplied by three companies Darkhan Meat Foods, Max Impex and Max Market. Nevertheless, before it gets shipped, the slaughtering process and the meat are verified by the importers and the Iranian Veterinary Organisation.
Mongolia's sheep meat exports to Iran consists mainly of frozen mutton which is shipped by truck through Kazakhstan and Russia before reaching the destination.
One problem that needs to be solved is the seasonal production of meat as the livestock is breed on pasture. "Putting livestock to pasture is good in the sense that they are free to choose the best grazing area and drink clean water from nature. But importing countries demand regular supplies, which is impossible to meet with pasture, so export-oriented farms need to be developed", added Ochirbat Begz.
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