AKIPRESS.COM - Mongolia has an estimated 30 million sheep - more than New Zealand - but has until recently only managed to export a thin slice of its overall meat output.

It hopes to export halal mutton to Iran, which are forced to import due to limited local production.

 Mongolia’s sheep and goat meat shipments hit 2,601 tons in 2017, 11 times more than 2016.

And while that was worth only around $8 million, industry officials say those volumes are likely just the start, with exports in the first-half of 2018 quadrupling year-on-year to 775.6 tons, Reuters reported.

“The halal meat market is growing worldwide, promising new opportunities for Mongolia,” said Ochirbat Begz, executive director of the Mongolia Meat Association.