Rabat“Red meat is no longer present on our table as it was before,” Khadija Mahi says to Al Jazeera Net, as she complains about the high prices of meat as she passes by the neighborhood butcher returning from shopping.
Mahi told Al Jazeera Net that meat of all kinds is a main ingredient on the Moroccan table, but in the face of high prices, she was forced to reduce her consumption.
She points out that she stopped buying red meat because of its high cost, and began to be satisfied with white meat only, especially chicken, but the prices of the latter also rose, and she adds, “I used to go to the weekly market and take enough meat, about 2 kilos for the week, but today I am satisfied with it for the week.” Only half a kilo.
The prices of red meat in the capital, Rabat, ranged between 130 and 150 dirhams (between 13 and 15 dollars) per kilogram, compared to 70 or 75 dirhams (7 or 7.5 dollars) previously, which made the government decide to take several measures to maintain price stability.
For months, the government provided support to importers of cows and sheep to ensure the supply of Moroccan markets, but this was not enough to stop the high prices.
The 2025 draft budget included support for meat imports as follows:
- Exemption from import value-added tax.
- Stop collecting import duties applied to live animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and red meat.
- In addition to continuing to support fodder.
Importing from several countries
The latest of these measures was announced by the National Office for Health Safety of Food Products regarding allowing the import of fresh and frozen red meat from sheep and goats from several countries.
The list of countries permitted to import red meat included Albania, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Britain, New Zealand, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Andorra.
Regarding frozen or chilled meat from the category of calves and cows, the office added other destinations to the previously mentioned countries: Ukraine, Brazil and Paraguay.
According to the decision, the list of declared countries can be amended in the event of a health risk that harms humans or animals, which may result from the import process.
It is stipulated that all imported meat must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the competent authorities in the country of origin, and a (Halal) certificate, with the necessity of providing meat warehouses for every importer.
Price stability
And it was considered President of the National University for Consumer Rights Bouazza El Kharati said that the decision to import fresh red meat is an acknowledgment of the shortage recorded in Moroccan markets, which led to an increase in prices.
He told Al Jazeera Net that the consumer used to change the consumption of the type of meat according to its prices, and whenever the price of one type rose, he resorted to another type, but now he has no choice but to abandon the consumption of red meat, and wait for the results of the government’s import initiative to provide meat within his purchasing power.
He explained that the Moroccan University for Consumer Rights called on the government to take measures to control the distribution of imported meat, and to direct frozen meat to restaurants and large spaces. He also called for the application of penalties against violators.
For his part, Hisham Al-Jawabri, the regional clerk of red meat wholesalers in Casablanca slaughterhouses and a member of the Moroccan Federation of Livestock Sector Actors, believes that if the prices of imported fresh meat are stimulating, encouraging and appropriate, they will be in the interest of the consumer.
The spokesman pointed out, in an interview with Al Jazeera Net, that the government has taken a number of measures in order to ensure that the markets are supplied with meat and reduce prices.
He said, “If the recent decision regarding importing fresh meat does not lead to a reduction in prices and their return to what they were, it will at least lead to their stability.”
He explained that this measure, in addition to importing live cows and sheep and the national herd, will enable diversification of supply in the market, which will contribute to the abundance of red meat in the country. He added that it will contribute to alleviating the depletion of the local herd, which was partially damaged by successive years of drought.
The head of the National Association of Sheep and Goat Breeders, Abdel-Rahman Al-Majdoubi, does not believe that the rise in red meat prices is only related to harm to the herd. Rather, in his view, the reason is mainly due to the high cost of inputs, meaning fodder in general and coarse fodder in particular, which are no longer available due to successive years of drought.
He added, in an interview with Al Jazeera Net, that if the government had not continued to subsidize fodder, prices would have been higher than they are currently.
The spokesman pointed out that price manipulation also contributed to this situation, noting that the price rises between the market and the seller in installments by about 30 dirhams (or 3 dollars). He asked, “How do we explain the price of red meat in the weekly markets in villages and small towns reaching 100 dirhams and in the cities?” 140, and in large areas it reaches 160 dirhams?”
Fears and reassurances
A number of actors have concerns regarding the control of prices in the market by major importers and monopoly, in a repeat of the scenario of supporting livestock imports taken by the government, which did not have an impact on meat prices.
Parliamentarian Fadwa Mohsen Al-Hayani from the opposition Popular Movement Party sent a written question to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, regarding the decision of the National Office for Sanitary Safety of Food Products to import fresh, frozen and cold meat. These concerns were guaranteed by the parliamentarian. The parliamentarian said that the import of cows and sheep earlier did not “It reflects positively on the consumer” after the process was limited to certain categories of importers and large traders.
The parliamentarian asked about the aspects of monitoring adopted, so that this frozen meat is not exposed to monopoly, the measures taken to tighten monitoring to avoid any violations of regulated prices, and the procedures for monitoring the quality and expiration date of frozen meat.
Abdul Rahman Al-Majdoubi warned of the same matter, as he considered that opening the door to the import of fresh meat would enhance the market’s supply of this vital material, and would maintain price stability, but he expressed his fear of repeating the scenario of monopoly and market control practiced by importers of live pets, such as cows and sheep, He called on importers to show a patriotic spirit in these circumstances, take into account the purchasing power of Moroccans, and not run after huge profits.
For his part, Mustafa Paytas, Minister Delegate in charge of Relations with Parliament and the official spokesman for the government, said during a meeting with journalists after the last government council, that the government is aware of the problem of red meat.
Paytas attributed the high prices of red meat in the Moroccan market to the condition of the local herd of livestock, which has declined compared to previous years.
Building the national herd
The official spokesman for the government explained that it is working to address this issue according to two methodologies: the first is related to rebuilding the national herd, and the second methodology is providing supply to reduce prices.
He said that the government approved 4 decrees related to facilitating the import of red meat according to customary tax books and procedures, and the import of pets, including cows, by stopping the collection of fees imposed on them, with the aim of providing the supply of red meat to ensure a reduction in its prices.
In turn, Abdul Rahman Al Majdoubi stresses the necessity of relying on the national herd, because it is the only solution in his view to achieve food security in the Kingdom, in addition to the fact that it employs 5 million people.
He pointed out that the recent rainfall witnessed by the Kingdom revived the pastures from Bouarfa in the east to Tan-Tan in the south, which indicates that the national livestock herd will recover within a year.
