Morocco’s livestock sector faces a 38% decline due to consecutive droughts, as stated by Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari. With rainfall 53% below average, meat production has decreased, leading to increased imports. The government has suspended import duties to stabilize prices amid an agricultural crisis, with irrigation dams critically low on water.
Morocco is experiencing a significant decline in its livestock population, as revealed by Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari. The minister noted that the cattle and sheep herds have decreased by 38% since the last census conducted nine years ago, primarily due to six consecutive years of drought. This situation has led to unforeseen challenges in agriculture, including widespread job losses and the urgent need to accelerate desalination plans.
This year, rainfall reached a staggering 53% below the 30-year average, creating a lack of adequate pasture for livestock. The resultant decrease in meat production has compelled Morocco to increase its imports of cattle and red meat. In a bid to stabilize prices, the government suspended import duties and taxes on cattle, sheep, camels, and red meat in its 2025 budget.
As of this year, Morocco has imported 124,000 sheep, 21,000 cattle, and 704 tons of red meat. The irrigation dams in the critical agricultural zones of Doukala and Souss-Massa are currently at 2% and 15% capacity, respectively. Overall, the national dam filling rate has plummeted to 26%, emphasizing that drinking water supply to urban areas has been prioritized over agricultural needs.
The area cultivated with Morocco’s primary crops, including soft wheat, durum wheat, and barley, has increased to 2.6 million hectares, up from 2.4 million hectares last year. Minister El Bouari indicated that the wheat output is dependent on rainfall over the next few months, until the end of March. Last year’s droughts severely impacted Moroccans’ wheat production, resulting in a 43% decrease, with total output falling to 3.1 million tons.
Morocco’s livestock sector is severely impacted by ongoing drought, resulting in substantial decreases in cattle and sheep populations. With diminished rainfall and pasture availability, the country faces increased dependency on imports to meet domestic meat needs. The government’s measures include lifting certain taxes on imports to stabilize prices, while the current state of irrigation dams underlines the urgent agricultural crisis.
Original Source: clubofmozambique.com
