Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, said on Monday that a staggering three million sheep and goats are being readied for the Eid al-Adha 1445/2024 holiday that occurs in June this year. The estimated numbers of livestock available for Eid al-Adha have apparently been known since March 8, 2024.
Responding to two oral questions regarding the livestock supply for Eid al-Adha at the Lower House, Sadiki said that a comprehensive program had been initiated in November 2023 to evaluate the supply and demand projections for animals intended for slaughter, in collaboration with industry experts. 214,000 sheep and goat breeding and fattening operations have since been registered.
The minister stated that the current health status of the livestock is “good” and that various measures have been put in place to monitor health, prevent infectious diseases, regulate animal feed and veterinary medicines, ensure clean water for drinking, and oversee the transport of poultry manure through a system of permits and authorizations.
In preparation for Eid al-Adha, 34 temporary markets are being set up to complement existing ones. Special permissions for imports have been granted to boost the livestock supply, support the local livestock industry, reduce import costs, and stabilize prices.
Sadiki also highlighted measures to encourage imports, including a subsidy of 500 MAD per head for sheep imported for slaughter, effective from March 15, 2024, until June 15, 2024.
The government has also exempted sheep imports from import duties and value added tax.