Soaring Sheep Prices Raise Concerns Ahead of Eid al-Adha in Morocco

Sheep prices for the sacrifice will exceed the levels recorded last year, according to livestock breeders. Moroccans "will not be spared this year from the surge in prices, as sheep prices remain high, although a slight decline has been observed in some regions recently," they say. This price increase would be due to "the weakness of rainfall this year, which has not reduced the costs of fodder and animal feed. For example, the price of a bale of alfalfa reaches 110 dirhams."

"Livestock prices have recorded a slight decline recently, after following an upward trend throughout the period following last year’s Eid al-Adha. This is because investors have been encouraged to buy due to the rise in sheep and cattle prices that accompanied this religious festival," said a livestock breeder in the city of Ksar El Kébir to Hespress, adding that "this slight decline has not brought sheep prices down below the levels recorded at the same period last year."

The professional specified that "breeders are currently buying Sardi breed sheep intended for Eid al-Adha at 120 dirhams per kilogram, which means that their total price does not fall below 3,500 dirhams," noting that "this price is already high, and if we add to that the breeding costs of a head of livestock during the remaining months before Eid al-Adha, which are not less than 800 dirhams, the cost for the farmer remains very high, just like last year."

The breeder did not fail to call on the Ministry of Agriculture to "publish explanatory press releases or make official statements to dispel the uncertainty surrounding the fate of this religious rite this year," stating that "the cancellation of Eid al-Adha would cause heavy losses to breeders" and "could reduce the pressure on the national herd."

In the Chichaoua region, Sardi breed sheep are sold "at 85 dirhams per kilogram, while Bargui breed sheep are at 75 dirhams, and cattle reach 90 dirhams per kilogram," according to a farmer and livestock breeder in the region. He also indicated that "sheep prices in the region, as Eid al-Adha approaches, will fluctuate between 3,000 and 7,000 dirhams per head, depending on fattening and age," specifying that "the supply of sheep will be higher this year compared to the previous year, particularly because about 70% of the sheep imported last year were not sold. However, prices will ultimately remain high."