فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
During a press conference following the government council meeting on Thursday, February 13, 2025, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Ahmed Bouari, revealed a significant 38% decrease in the national livestock population compared to 2016. This sharp decline has severely impacted the local supply of red meat.
Bouari explained that the number of slaughtered livestock has dropped to 150,000 heads, down from the usual 230,000 per year. In response, the government has introduced exceptional measures, including suspending import duties and exempting imported beef, sheep, goat, and camel meat from value-added tax (VAT) to stabilize market supply.
The minister highlighted an increase in import activity at the beginning of 2025 compared to the previous year. As of February 12, Morocco had imported 21,800 head of cattle, 124,000 sheep, and 704 tons of red meat.
To address the livestock production crisis, the ministry has launched a national program aimed at supporting breeders by providing between 15 and 18 million quintals of animal feed, alongside enhancing technical guidance to improve productivity and livestock health. The plan also includes measures to preserve female livestock for herd regeneration, as well as special programs for rural youth to support livestock farming projects.
These measures are part of the government’s broader efforts to protect the domestic market from supply fluctuations, amid ongoing climatic and economic challenges that have significantly affected the sector in recent years.
source: fesnews media
