The use of Arian crossbreed is estimated to incur Iran around US$1b in extra costs

During a meeting with the Iranian president in Qazvin province, farmers complained that the forced use of the Arian crossbreed makes little economic sense. It has 20% more bones and, on average, 20% lower productivity than popular crossbreeds.

The use of Arian crossbreed costs Iranian farmers, on average, US$1.2 billion per year, Ali Akbar Abdul Maleki, head of the Sanandaj Chamber of Commerce, has estimated, citing official calculations by the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad.

Iran officially relies on the Arian crossbreed to mitigate costs and protect food security. However, this policy’s long-term economic implications suggest it may cause more financial harm than benefits, as the costs of importing parent stock – estimated at US$20-25 million annually – are offset by potential productivity gains that are not currently realised.

A financial burden

The forced use of the Arian crossbreed is apparently one of the key reasons why the Iranian poultry industry is in a dire financial situation.

“There are 777 active poultry farms in the [Qazvin] province that are on the verge of closure due to low Arian productivity and the high costs of sourcing feed on the open market. By switching to a different crossbreed, these units can get back on track and lower costs for consumers,” Maleki added.

Wide support

The initiative to re-evaluate the effectiveness of the Arian crossbreed has been welcomed in the Iranian expert community.

“Crossbreed development has a history of more than 135 years in countries such as the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, France, and England, while the Arian breed was developed in 1993 without sufficient scientific research,” Arsalan Jamshidi, an independent industry analyst, noted.

There is a significant gap in the feed conversion ratio between Arian and popular Western crossbreeds. “In reputable global breeds, the feed conversion ratio is 1.6 to 1.7, while in Arian, there is 200-300g of feed waste for each kg of live meat produced. This difference on a national scale causes a loss of about US$700 million,” Jamshidi estimated. It is yet to be seen whether the investigation will lead to a tangible result.

In May 2025, the forced use of Arian crossbreed was heavily criticised in an open letter filed to the government. Signed by 93 poultry farmers jointly accounting for 30% of broiler meat production in the country, the letter warned that the Arian crossbreed put the industry’s survival on the line. However, Iranian officials declined to abandon the forced use of the Arian crossbreed at that time.