The CEO of the Dairy Cooperatives Union of Iran says that the annual per-capita consumption of dairy products by each Iranian, which was 130 kilograms since 1389, has now dropped to about 40 kilograms.

Ali Ehsan Zafari told the ILNA news agency that people no longer have the purchasing power for staple dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt, and that many other dairy products that had a “fantasy” aspect have also been left out.

Iran’s per-capita dairy consumption has fallen to 40 kilograms, while the figure in Turkey is above 250 kilograms and the global average consumption is also estimated at around 117 to 119 kilograms.

The latest official report by the Statistical Center indicates a 150% increase in the price of milk and a 130% increase in the price of yogurt in the month of Tir this year compared with the same month last year.

Mr. Zafari also stated that the price of yogurt has reached 250,000 tomans per “debe” and the price of milk has risen to 84,000 tomans.