Join on WhatsApp 
Join on Telegram Rabat – The price of lamb has surged exponentially, reaching MAD 150 ($14.7) per kilogram in various regions across Morocco.
This increase is fueling significant public concern and frustration, with many citizens expressing concern about the ongoing surge in prices with no guarantee of a decrease once the summer season concludes.
Reports indicate that, in response to the situation, the Moroccan Federation of Livestock Industry Actors (FMAFE) has urged for increased transparency for consumers.
The federation also announced its intent to pursue all legally available measures to challenge any decisions seen as favoring particular interests over the legitimate concerns of stakeholders in the sector.
It has also raised concerns about a shortage of sheep and cattle for slaughter, criticizing the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA) for lacking a clear strategy to address the ongoing crisis in the red meat sector.
Read Also: Moroccan Meat Prices Could Rise as Ovine Import Support Halted
The federation condemned the “systematic exclusion and marginalization” of key stakeholders, including small and medium-sized farmers, importers, and wholesale and retail traders.
It linked the sector’s crisis to the ministry’s silence on irregularities within the red meat interprofessional federation’s management and criticized both the Ministry of Agriculture and ONSSA for not responding to its repeated efforts to collaboratively address the issue.
Earlier this month, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Mohammed Sadiki, led two meetings addressing the red meat and dairy industries.
The discussions emphasized the urgent need to support these sectors and boost food sovereignty in the face of the country’s ongoing water deficit. Key measures include continued support for livestock feed, importing animal feed, and developing new livestock regulations.
A July 2023 survey by market research firm Sunergia revealed that over 60% of Moroccan consumers have reduced their grocery purchases in response to soaring prices.
The trend was most pronounced among Moroccans aged 25-34 and 35-44, with 68% and 71% of these age groups respectively cutting back on food and implementing additional measures to ration their groceries.
Food inflation in Morocco reached unprecedented levels in 2023, peaking at 18.4% in February. The price surge, which began in 2022 due to the worst drought in over thirty years, continued to impact the market supply and prices, with the drought’s effects still heavily felt in early 2023.
