Russia increases lamb exports to over 10,000 tonnes in 2023 - Agroexport

MOSCOW. Jan 17 (Interfax) - Russia significantly increased its lamb exports in 2023.

The Agriculture Ministry's Agroexport center said that over 10,000 tonnes of lamb went to foreign markets, while in 2022, shipments were below 1,000 tonnes.

The largest buyer was Iran, while the top three also included the UAE and Kazakhstan.

Rosselkhoznadzor previously reported that 25 Russian enterprises currently have the right to supply meat from small and large livestock to Iran. The list includes Khavsn LLC in Kalmykia and a meat processing plant in Karachay-Cherkessia owned by the Damate Group.

The Damate Group of Companies, which is implementing a large project for the production and processing of lamb in the North Caucasus, started exporting it last spring with a shipment of chilled product to the UAE. Shipments to Iran began in November. Early shipment volumes exceeded 350 tonnes.

The company ships chilled carcasses to Iran on a monthly schedule. For this purpose, an agreement was concluded with the Gostareh Toseegari Pardis Company, which has the largest state quota and permission to import meat into Iran from various countries.

Damate says that the Iranian market is of great interest to the Russian shepherding industry, and that the country could become a significant importer of lamb.

Rosstat data show that, at the end of October 2023, the number of sheep and goats in farms of all categories totaled 21.4 million heads (1.6% less than the year before). The structure of the livestock population includes private households, which account for 44.7% of sheep and goats (versus 45.1% at the end of October 2022).