Morocco’s cattle herd shrinks 30% as live cattle imports from Brazil surge 421%
Moroccan purchases of live cattle from Brazil have soared. In one year, their value rose from 41 to 213.5 million dollars. Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture also reveals the share its livestock producers now hold in the Moroccan market.
From 41 million dollars in 2024 to 213.5 million in 2025. In twelve months, Morocco’s bill for live cattle bought from Brazil multiplied 5.2 times. The 421% increase illustrates the kingdom’s growing dependence on foreign supplies to meet its red meat needs.
These figures appear in a statement from Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture. The document reveals another figure: in 2025, Brazil alone accounted for 46.7% of the total value of Morocco’s live cattle imports.
In other words, of every 100 dollars Morocco spent buying live cattle abroad, nearly 47 went to Brazilian suppliers.
Morocco becomes one of Brazil’s top customers
This growth has continued in trade. In the first four months of 2026, Morocco rose to become the second-largest destination for Brazilian live cattle exports.
The rise in these imports comes amid difficulties in Morocco’s livestock sector. According to data cited by Brazil’s ministry, the 2025 census showed that the kingdom’s cattle herd had fallen by about 30%, amid successive droughts and rising animal feed costs.
To strengthen market supplies, Rabat has introduced a series of customs measures. Since late 2022, live cattle for slaughter have been eligible for duty-free imports within the limits of authorized annual quotas. The 2026 quota was set at 300,000 head.
Morocco has also suspended import duties on several categories of meat and on live sheep until December 31, 2026. The measure, which took effect on July 27, applies to suppliers from all countries.
For Brazilian exporters, the kingdom has thus become a major market, with purchases of live cattle rising in one year from 41 million to more than 213 million dollars.
