Rabat – Morocco’s Association of Poultry Breeders has warned of a “real disaster” in the poultry sector amid high production costs.
Said Jennah, the president of the association, told Moroccan television channel 2M that the high production prices are accompanied by low selling prices, exacerbating the negative effects experienced by the sector.
“The cost of chicken production is estimated at MAD 16 ($1.57) in farms due to high prices of feed and rumors of poor production of chicks,” Jennah said.
He warned that such rumors caused the price of chicks to reach MAD 6.80 ($0.67). Nevertheless, suppliers have continued to produce at the same level, prompting an “abundance of production” which has forced chicken selling prices to remain below MAD 11.5 ($1.13).
Jennah said that this development has caused breeders to lose approximately MAD 5.5 per kilogram against MAD 2 or MAD 3 recorded previously.
The poultry professional called on the government to intervene to protect poultry farmers, urging for a legal framework that allows breeders to determine the selling prices.
The head of the poultry association also called for a national debate to address the challenges that the sector faces.
The appeal came amid an economic crisis marked by the soaring prices of commodities and goods. With Eid Al Adha approaching, many citizens took to social networks to complain about the high prices of livestock designated for the feast.
Morocco will celebrate Eid Al Adha on Sunday, July 10, although many families are worried that higher prices will prevent them from buying livestock.
Minister of Agriculture Mohamed Saddik recently sparked controversy by claiming that sheep’s prices had stabilized between MAD 6,000 ($590) and MAD 800 ($78.7).
Many took to social networks to respond to the minister’s statement, arguing that small sheep can cost MAD 3000 ($290).
In addition to Eid Al Adha, several essential goods are experiencing soaring prices, burdening average and low-income households.
Fuel prices are set between MAD 16 ($1.57) and MAD 17 ($1.67), prompting citizens to call on the government to intervene and subsidize prices.
However, Minister of Economy Nadia Fettah Alaoui said that although the government is well aware of the exponential rise in hydrocarbon prices, providing subsidies for fuel is not feasible under the current state budget.
The soaring prices of hydrocarbon products are the result of external shocks caused by the international crisis, she argued.
