Because of strict import restric- tions, Iran’s do- mestic pet food production is thriving.
PHOTO: JIRI HERA
Pandemic undermined smuggling Currently, some pet food is still supplied to Iran, but only through some smuggling channels. There was a similar pic- ture in 2013 when the US and EU tightened sanctions on Iran and an entire cross-border industry of smuggling emerged. Cities bordering Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey are be- lieved to be the main gateways for smuggling, in both direc- tions. Iran’s smugglers export fuel – petrol and diesel – the country’s main commodity, while importing a broad range of products, including pet food. “Black import remains in the market, but the main problem is a dramatic increase in prices, which is associated with the high exchange rate, and also a lack of supply through legal channels,” Dr Mirfakhrai said, adding that againt this background, the Covid-19 pandemic has not had much impact on the market. “The pet industry is suffering greatly due to the current financial situation in Iran and the ban on the import of pet foods and accessories im- posed by the government on the one hand and the US sanc- tions coupled with the drastic depreciation of Iran’s currency against the US dollar, on the other,” commented Savis Anzani, director of the Teheran-based vet clinic Persianpet. “Further- more, a sharp decline in people’s incomes due to the Cov- id-19 pandemic, which has forced so many businesses to shut down their operations, has had an adverse effect on the pet
food and accessory business,” Anzani added. However, the quarantine restrictions introduced to slow down the spread of the pandemic have affected smugglers as well. “Smuggling of goods has stopped as a result of the closure of borders since the beginning of the pandemic. An acute shortage of high-quality pet goods can be strongly felt in the market and all we have now is just low-quality, no-name products offered in different packaging,” Anzani said, adding that some of those products are coming from Turkey.
The finest hour for local producers With imports still severely restricted, Iran’s domestic pet food production is thriving. Many new local brands have emerged on the market over the past few months, while those already operating on the market have rushed to expand their capaci- ty. “The country’s restriction on importing some goods, in- cluding pet food and pet accessories, introduced due to economic problems, affects our market more than the pan- demic,” commented Dr Nasirian, Managing Director of local pet food producer, Behin Tash Co. “Some items still come onto our market illegally, and our importers are in a bad situation,” Dr Nasirian added. Against this background, Behin Tash Co. has embarked on a major capacity expansion campaign. The company is
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