Concerns have increased with the approach of Eid but let us be reassured: there is no need to worry about the availability of livestock this year. The current workforce, ie 5.5 million head, should meet the national demand for Eid Al-Adha.
According to the producers, indicates the daily Eco Inspirations in its edition of Tuesday, May 16, there will be something for all budgets. The current import program should ease the pressure. Except that the price increase is inevitable. “However, it should not reach the levels mentioned recently (at least 20%). According to the president of the Interprofessional Federation of Red Meats (FIVIAR), M’hamed Karimine, prices will be higher by 10 to 15% compared to last year.
“Given the surge in production costs, this increase is relatively correct. It must be said that this impact remains below the actual cost incurred. As the drought raged this year, grazing areas were reduced, as a result, the animals fed on 100% imported grain, whereas in normal times, grazing covers 20% in food. As a result of the races, the production cost more”, he explains, quoted by the daily.
To stem this surge in this period which precedes Eid by a few weeks, urgent measures have been deployed by the public authorities. This involves granting a contribution of around 500 dirhams per head of sheep imported for this occasion. But on the condition of importing at least 15,000 heads.
“Certainly, this aid is commendable, but I doubt that Moroccan importers have the capacity, both financial and logistical, because all calculations made, importing 15,000 head costs approximately 40 million dirhams, which is quite a substantial investment. The other problem arises at the level of the exporting country in relation to the availability of suppliers, which is not an easy task”, wonders Karimine.
The latter specified that imports represent a tiny part of the workforce. The announcement of these imports has above all a psychological effect for intervening on prices. On the other hand, professionals in the sector hope to be able to have imported sheep in the hope of stabilizing prices, but not only. A trend has been created since supermarkets started selling sheep for Eid, the prices displayed have become the benchmark on the market. An ability that exasperates producers but works in favor of consumers.