Morocco Faces Steep Sheep Price Hike Ahead of Eid al-Adha Celebration

Would the Eid al-Adha celebration be compromised in Morocco due to the dizzying rise in the price of sheep? Some are asking the question, just a few days before the celebration of this important feast for Muslims, scheduled for late June. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the price of sheep, due to inflation, should increase by 15 to 25% compared to the previous year.

The Head of the Moroccan Government, Aziz Akhannouch, is reassuring in this regard, recently stating before Parliament that Eid would not be suspended, as was the case in 1963, 1981 and 1996. The government is working on price regulation, added the official, announcing the import of sheep from Spain, Romania or Italy to ensure sufficient availability of sheep for the Eid sacrifice.

"Many butchers resort to slaughtering ewes and calving cows, given the refusal of citizens to consume imported meat, which will affect the future of meat production at the national level," Jamal Farhan, secretary general for the meat transport sector in the Casablanca region, told Hespress, recalling Moroccans’ fears about imported meat since the Brazilian beef affair.