According to the Islamic tradition, the Prophet Ibrahim saw himself in a dream sacrificing his cherished son. God intervened as Ibrahim was preparing to carry out the divine command, and Ismail was swapped for a ram that was offered as a substitute. Muslims all around the world remember this day by celebrating Eid al-Adha.
This feast falls on the 10th day of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, following the completion of the “Hajj,” the pilgrimage to Mecca. It lasts for four days and is marked by various religious and cultural rituals.
Prior to this day, Moroccans begin purchasing sacrificial sheep, goats, cows, or camels from local farms, large supermarkets, or traditional marketplaces.
Amid the current price hike, Moroccan people seek to find sacrificial animals at affordable prices and fine quality so as to maximize their purchasing power.
In order to help stabilize Morocco’s red meat market and address the soaring prices ahead of the religious celebration, the country has imported 32,000 head of cattle and sheep since February (22,000 head of cattle and 10,000 head of sheep).
Morocco has already received a shipment of 2,800 head of cattle from Brazil; however, Moroccans remain hesitant about the quality of such cattle, even with the existence of strict control processes imposed by Morocco’s food safety watchdog ONSSA.
ONSSA Director Abdelghani Azzi made numerous assurances that the health of the livestock destined for the Eid Al-Adha celebration is satisfactory and that it meets quality standards.
With regard to animal identification, ONSSA registers all sheep and goat farms reserved for the holiday, as it maintains a comprehensive and up-to-date database containing information on breeding facilities.
Azzi explains that animals are identified by ear tags and urges consumers to purchase only these identified animals in order to guarantee traceability.
Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture has repeatedly reassured consumers that the overall supply of animals for the Feast of Sacrifice in Morocco is indeed sufficient. It added that the overall provisional supply of animals for Eid is estimated at 7.8 million head, including 6.3 million sheep and 1.5 million goats. This supply exceeds demand, which is estimated at 5.6 million head, including 5.1 million head of sheep and 500,000 head of goats.
Lhoussine Ben Mouloud, “Kessab, ”sheep trader, and “Al Khayr,” farm owner located in the Rabat outskirts–told Barlamantoday that all sizes and varieties of livestock–including both Sardi and Bergui variety goats, cows, and calves–are available at reasonable prices for people emanating from all socioeconomic levels.
He said that the farm has its own ONSSA-certified veterinarian, affirming that cattle feed is 100% natural.
When asked about the differences between the traditional market and the farm, he responded that the farm provides its customers with conveniences such as not requiring full payment up front–but rather a down payment–with the balance due on the day of pick up.
“Among other privileges is that the shepherds working on the farm tend to feeding the sheep during the period after purchase but prior to their delivery,” stated Ben Mouloud, pointing out that people can buy their sheep without being scammed by “Chenaka” (resellers who are first to gain access to products for purchase, and then mark them up to extortionate asking prices over fair market value).
“I came here with my aunt to buy the sacrificial sheep because the sheep feed here in the farm is natural. Concerning the prices, they range from 3000 MAD and above,” said a client.
The Farm sales director, Mostafa Fouazi, said that there is a slight difference in prices compared to the traditional market; however, sales have increased due to the quality of the sheep and the buying privileges we grant the clients.
“The types of feed available are rye (6 MAD), corn (5 MAD), bean (8MAD), and bran (4 MAD). We buy these types of feed from the factories to ensure the quality and meet our clients’ requirements,” said the farm’s feed controller.
In this vein, people tend to use modern methods to buy ruminants for Eid al-Adha in rural estates that work remotely, by using digital applications in order to avoid going through the hassle of traditional crowded markets and thus avoiding the interference of mediators during the buying and selling process. Buying online means that there is no need to house the sheep or incur additional costs like purchasing the feed.
The customer merely needs to send the vendor a text message in order to place an order after selecting one of the herds that are displayed on site. These online exhibits feature different animal breeds and varieties, while offering quick and innovative services like bank card payment and delivery.
In this context, the websites provide users with the opportunity to view photos and videos and provide detailed descriptions of available sheep, making it easier to find sheep that correspond to their individualized needs.
Other Moroccans prefer to carefully examine the cattle, even if it means spending days searching the traditional marketplaces for the healthiest animals.
It goes without saying that the Feast of Sacrifice is significant in terms of culture and society. It fosters generosity, empathy, and compassion, while simultaneously encouraging Muslims to be selfless by reminding them of the significance of sacrifice in both a physical and metaphorical sense.
Overall, the Feast of Sacrifice is a time of reflection, gratitude, and celebration for Muslims worldwide. It promotes a sense of solidarity and goodwill among individuals from all origins and cultures by serving as a reminder of the ideals of faith, sacrifice, and community.