Morocco asks citizens not to slaughter sheep on Eid al-Adha

Morocco asks citizens not to slaughter sheep on Eid al-Adha

King Mohammed VI from Morocco on Wednesday asked Moroccans to refrain from slaughtering sheep for Eid al-Adha this year. The reason for this is the decline in the country's sheep population, which is due to years of drought.

Background to Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha, celebrated in June, commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim, also known as Abraham, to sacrifice his son at God's command. Muslims celebrate this holiday by slaughtering sheep or goats. The meat is distributed among the family and donated to those in need.

Decline in livestock herds in Morocco

Cattle and sheep populations in Morocco have fallen by 38% in 2025 compared to the last census nine years ago, according to official figures. This decline is due to repeated periods of drought.

King's appeal

Consequences for the population

Performing the ritual “under these difficult circumstances will cause significant harm to large sections of our population, especially the low-income sections,” stressed the king, who is also the country's supreme religious leader.

Climatic challenges

Rainfall this year was 53% below the average for the past 30 years, resulting in a lack of grazing land for livestock. Meat production has declined, which in turn leads to higher prices on the local market and increased imports of live cattle, sheep and beef.

Importing sheep from Australia

Morocco recently signed a deal to import up to 100,000 sheep from Australia. This is intended to help secure the country's meat supply.

Measures to stabilize prices

In the 2025 budget, Morocco suspended import duties and VAT on cattle, sheep, camels and beef to keep prices stable in the domestic market.