Moroccan Consumers Shun Brazilian Beef Amid Import Controversy

Brazilian beef unwanted in Morocco even though the kingdom has recently received 2,800 of them to make up for the shortage recorded in the livestock destined for slaughter due to the drought and to reduce the price of red meat? According to professional sources in the red meat production sector, the authorities in the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region are opposed to its slaughter. A few days ago, they prevented the slaughter of six cattle imported from Brazil. In addition, there is less demand from consumers. So "the meat from the Brazilian herd is mostly directed to tourist accommodation establishments or state-affiliated social welfare institutions (orphanages...), or processed into "kosher" industrial meat," the same sources report.

The rumors circulating on social networks about the quality of beef imported from Brazil are "incorrect," Mohamed Jebli, president of the Moroccan Federation of Livestock Sector Actors (FMAFE), told Hespress. "Those who promote this discourse have never eaten imported beef, so how do they know it wasn’t good?" he argues, adding that "Moroccans will accept to eat beef imported from Brazil because it is of good quality and does not differ from local cows."

As for the prices, Jebli said that the wholesale price is falling and is currently around 75 dirhams as a maximum price, while the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests had announced on his way out of the slaughterhouse that the price of Brazilian beef would vary in early April, between 65 and 67 dirhams per kilogram.