Moroccan Poultry Prices Surge Amid COVID-19 Crisis, Industry Reports Massive Losses

The poultry industry is experiencing a drastic drop in demand (-40%) according to the Interprofessional Federation of the Poultry Sector (FISA), which estimates the losses at more than 4 billion dirhams over the last six months.

"The Covid-19 crisis has impacted the entire sector. The breeder sells his chickens at a price of 8 DH/kg at the farm for a cost price of 14 DH/kg, i.e. a loss of 6 DH/kg. As for the turkey sold at 9DH/kg, the cost is around 14.5DH/Kg. For eggs, they were sold at 45 cents each against a cost price of 65 cents," illustrates Youssef Alaoui.

This decline is related to the measures linked to the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, in particular the closure of restaurants, banquet halls, the cancellation of events, the mandatory confinement of households at home or the closure of weekly markets.

To reverse this downward trend, FISA recommends, in particular, reviewing the tax status of poultry farmers and their reclassification in the agricultural sector, strengthening controls for the strict respect of national preference with regard to collective catering and the reopening of weekly markets.

The poultry industry achieved a turnover of around 32.5 billion dirhams in 2019 with some 530,000 direct and indirect jobs, the Federation recalls.