Moroccan Red Meat Prices Hit Record Highs Amid Drought and Supply Shortages

Hicham Jouabri, regional secretary of wholesale red meat traders in Casablanca, interviewed by Al3omk, points to the succession of droughts as one of the main factors behind this increase. The scarcity of pastures has led to an increase in the costs of livestock feed, making livestock farming more expensive. Faced with this situation, many breeders have been forced to get rid of their animals, further reducing the supply on the market.

The import of red meat, which could help alleviate the pressure on prices, faces significant obstacles, particularly regulatory ones. The strict specifications imposed by the National Office of Sanitary Safety (ONSSA) deter some foreign suppliers, who consider Morocco an unattractive destination.

"The ONSSA specifications impose strict analyzes, which encourages exporting countries to favor other markets," explains Jouabri.

In addition, he denounces the existence of opaque practices within the Directorate of Production and Production Chains of the Ministry of Agriculture. According to him, certain individuals restrict access to imports to only accredited intermediaries, speculators and private slaughterhouses, creating a monopoly that promotes the rise in prices.

Abdelhak Boutchich, president of the National Association of Livestock Technicians, highlights another factor: the imbalance between supply and demand. The sustained demand for red meat, combined with a constantly declining national livestock, contributes to the soaring prices.

"The massive slaughter of young animals and ewes by certain slaughterhouses negatively affects the reproduction of the herd, which further limits the supply," Boutchich points out.

Faced with this complex situation, the sector’s players are calling for urgent measures to address the rise in red meat prices. They are demanding a relaxation of the ONSSA specifications in order to facilitate imports, a fight against anti-competitive practices and better management of the national herd.