No sheep for Eid, king tells Moroccans

Due to a sharp decline in the country's livestock population, King Mohammed VI of Morocco has called on the Moroccan people to refrain from performing the Muslim ritual of slaughtering sheep during Eid al-Adha this year. The livestock shortage is reportedly due to a persistent drought lasting seven years, significantly impacting the agricultural sector.

Eid al-Adha, held in June, commemorates the prophet Ibrahim's (or Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son according to God's will. Muslims celebrate this holiday by slaughtering sheep or other animals, sharing the meat among family members and donating it to the poor. However, official data shows that Morocco's livestock population has decreased by 38% in a decade due to drought-stricken pastures, leading to concerns about affordability and accessibility.

Meat prices are soaring, and Morocco is importing 100,000 sheep from Australia to address the shortage. King Mohammed VI stated in a speech read on national television by the Minister of Religious Affairs on Wednesday that "performing this ritual in these difficult circumstances will cause great harm to a large segment of our people, especially those with limited incomes." His father, Hassan II, made a similar appeal in 1966 when Morocco also suffered a prolonged drought, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Moroccan Minister of Agriculture Ahmed Bouari explained the challenge in a recent interview, stating that "it is necessary to ensure water for priority sectors such as driving and industry," meaning that agriculture is the most affected, and "most irrigated areas are subject to strict regulations and restrictions on water rationing." Recently, Morocco eliminated import duties and value-added tax on cattle, sheep, camels, and red meat to help stabilize prices across the country, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on consumers.