Rabat – Morocco has successfully safeguarded its national livestock during years of severe drought, thanks to the strategic measures initiated by King Mohammed VI, Agriculture Minister Ahmed El Bouari said on Thursday.
Speaking at a press briefing following the Government Council meeting, El Bouari recalled the King’s decisive call asking Moroccans to refrain from performing the customary Eid Al Adha animal sacrifice this year, a move that played a central role in preserving the country’s herds.
The minister also talked about the positive impact of the official ban on slaughtering female livestock, noting that its strict enforcement has enhanced the reproductive capacity of the national herd. Pasture recovery also benefited from improved weather conditions between January and April 2025, he added, commending breeders for their dedication and sacrifices under challenging circumstances.
Livestock census reveals growth
A nationwide livestock census conducted from June 26 to August 11, 2025, showed that Morocco’s total herd now exceeds 32.8 million heads. Of these, recent births among animals under six months totaled 6.4 million, with an additional 3 million births recorded between December 2024 and March 2025, bringing the total to 9.4 million new animals.
El Bouari noted that the measures helped preserve 3 million female breeders and 3.5 million male sheep, ensuring continued supply to the national red meat market. While the number of cattle remains approximately 30% below typical averages due to COVID-19 restrictions and reduced irrigation, the number of dairy cows has rebounded to 750,000 heads. Camel populations also fell by nearly 30%, reflecting degraded vegetation and reduced pasture availability from successive droughts.
The minister reaffirmed that, in line with royal directives, the government will implement additional measures to rebuild and sustain the national herd. Nearly MAD 11 billion has been allocated in direct financial support to breeders, aimed at purchasing livestock feed, preserving female breeders, reducing debt, and funding vaccination and technical guidance campaigns.
El Bouari highlighted that most beneficiaries are small-scale breeders: 90% of sheep and goat farmers own fewer than 50 animals, 74% have fewer than 20, and 93% of cattle breeders raise fewer than 10 heads.
Measures also include promoting local production through the suspending customs duties and VAT on imported livestock and powdered milk, as well as maintaining exemptions for cattle imports to support market supply and gradually restore the national herd.
The livestock census was carried out through rigorous on-site visits, with each breeder’s herd inventoried individually by 2,822 mixed commissions comprising representatives from the ministries of interior, finance, and agriculture, the Royal Gendarmerie, as well as National Security forces, and local authorities. A total of 39,174 personnel participated in the operation, collecting detailed data directly integrated into a central database at the ministry of interior.
El Bouari stressed that continued efforts to support livestock farming are essential to guarantee the sustainability of Morocco’s meat and dairy production sectors, ensuring food security and long-term resilience for the industry.
