Morocco Considers Canceling Eid al-Adha Amid Livestock Concerns

"The decision will be made once the composition of the national herd is known," said the Minister of Agriculture, Ahmed El Bouari, quoted by Al Akhbar, specifying that this operation recently launched, "will allow the ministry to have a clear idea of the production capacity of breeders to meet national needs". The minister added that "the results of the census will help the ministry prepare a practical and realistic program, in which parliamentarians will be involved in order to remedy any malfunctions".

The delegate minister in charge of relations with Parliament and government spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, for his part estimated that the rumors about a possible cancellation of Eid al-Adha are "premature", indicating that "the coming days will see major changes" and that the government "is making intensive efforts to find practical solutions to this file". In the same vein, Fouzi Lekjaa, the delegate minister in charge of the Budget, called for "the cessation of meat consumption and the slaughter of lambs, to allow Morocco to rebuild the national herd and achieve a balance in meat prices".

"The implementation of these measures is an essential step to avoid wasting ongoing efforts and finding lasting solutions to the situation," added Lekjaa, recalling that "the measures taken, such as the import of meat, remain temporary measures". "The stability of demand in the face of the decline in supply naturally leads to a rise in prices, which requires working to strengthen local supply by stopping the slaughter of lambs." And he concluded: "The success of these efforts requires the contribution of all stakeholders, with a focus on sustainable solutions that guarantee food security and market stability".