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Rabat – Widely circulated videos on the internet show Brazilian cows roaming the streets of Morocco’s capital Rabat on Sunday, adding to the controversy surrounding the cattle that the country has recently imported from Brazil.
Despite authorities’ reassurance about the quality of the cattle, the incident further raised fears among Moroccans that the meat would be of poor quality, as many argued that the cows were in a weak state.
Morocco has turned to Brazil and Uruguay to import 30,000 heads of cattle, in an attempt to stabilize red meat prices by increasing the country’s market supply. Red meat prices have soared in Morocco over the past year, increasing by over 50%.
The country received on March 26 the first shipment of 2,800 head of cattle from Brazil, with Moroccans expressing great concerns over the quality of the imported cattle.
In the wake of the controversy, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Mohamed Sadiki, stressed that the imported cattle are among the “best breeds” marketed worldwide.
Noting that Morocco has imported Brazil’s “Nelore” breed, Sadiki stressed that the cattle have been subjected to a “strict control process” imposed by the Moroccan National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA).
He added that the cattle were monitored by veterinarians affiliated with the Moroccan food safety watchdog in Brazil prior to their arrival in Morocco.
Still, the Sunday incident further exacerbated Moroccans’ worries, with many taking to social media to share their first-hand accounts after having closely seen the cows roaming the streets of the capital.
“They said that the quality of Brazilian cows is excellent but God exposed them in broad daylight,” one commenter said on Twitter, warning Moroccans against consuming the meat of cattle imported from Brazil.
Meanwhile, other Moroccan netizens have argued that Brazilian cattle are of high quality, refuting the circulating rumors.
“Being a resident of Brazil and holding its nationality, Brazilian beef is of very high quality, like other countries in Latin America that are internationally known for the quality of their meat, such as Argentina, Uruguay, and Uruguay,” said a Twitter user.
