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Rabat – Parliamentarian Hayat Laraich has joined a growing list of citizens who expressed concerns about the quality of Brazilian cattle imports in Morocco.
Laraich, who is a member of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) political party, addressed a question to the government to ask about the measures to tackle potential challenges related to Brazilian cattle exports to Morocco.
The MP suggested that the cows imported by Morocco from Brazil are carrying new genetic information, stressing that this could lead to a negative impact on Morocco’s livestock biodiversity due to “potential genetic contamination.”
The MP asked the government to unveil its plan and measures to avoid any potential genetic contamination of livestock in Morocco due to cattle imports from Brazil.
Many have expressed worry about the potential breeding of Brazilian cattle with local cows, suggesting that cows imported from Brazil carry new genetic elements.
Many citizens have also expressed concerns about the quality of Brazilian cattle imports in Morocco, following pictures and videos that showed Brazilian cows seemingly in poor health and conditions going viral online.
Some of the pictures depicted skinny cows, which caused anxiety among citizens.
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Morocco’s government responded to rumors about the quality of cows, stressing that the country’s health monitoring system only approves cattle imports following rigorous control.
“Several laboratory studies have been carried out to ensure the quality of the imported cattle,” spokesperson of Morocco’s government Mustapha Baitas recently said.
Morocco has turned to Brazil to stabilize red meat prices by increasing its market supply.
In March, Morocco received a shipment of 2,800 heads of cattle in the Jorf Lasfar Port from Brazil last month.
Reports suggested that Brazilian cattle are less expensive to import than from other countries, including from other South American states.
Such reports have led to “quality versus quantity” concerns.
