El Bouari: The Royal Initiative Helped Save the National Herd During Drought
Ahmed El Bouari, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests, confirmed that the supply of livestock during last Eid al-Adha did not exceed 3.5 million male sheep and goats, while national needs exceeded 6.5 million heads. He emphasized that the royal directive against slaughter played a critical role in preserving livestock.
During his participation in a press conference, Bouari clarified that the measures taken protected three million female heads, which contributed to the herd’s reproduction, along with 3.5 million male heads that provided meat supplies to the markets.
Regarding cattle, the minister reported a 30% decrease in numbers compared to the usual levels, which range between 3 and 3.2 million heads. This decline was attributed to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the cessation of irrigation in dairy-producing areas. However, the herd has begun to recover, reaching 750,000 lactating cows post-pandemic.
The sector also saw a 30% decline in camel numbers, which now stand at around 150,000 heads, affected by the degradation of vegetation and scarce fodder due to consecutive years of drought.
The minister pointed out that these figures highlight the effectiveness of the royal initiative, which has spared the country from a severe livestock crisis since 2022. He referenced support programs for livestock farming to tackle the repercussions of drought and rising production costs, alongside the strict ban on the slaughter of females and the positive impacts of improved climate conditions on pastures between January and April 2025.
El Bouari praised the efforts of breeders in maintaining their herds despite difficult conditions, calling for continued support for the sector to ensure the sustainability of meat and milk production chains.
Regarding upcoming steps, he indicated that the process of tagging livestock has begun in some areas, and it will be accelerated and expanded next September, mobilizing 1,835 technicians and 1,825 assistants in local committees after training provided by veterinary services.
He also announced the adoption of direct financial support for all livestock breeders, distributed equitably based on the number of heads counted and tagged with numbered rings, along with measures to reduce breeders’ debts and organize vaccination campaigns and technical support.
The minister noted that the government allocated approximately 11 billion dirhams for purchasing feed and preserving breeding females, highlighting that most beneficiaries of this support belong to the category of small breeders, with 90% of sheep and goat breeders having fewer than 50 heads, and 74% owning fewer than 20, while 93% of cattle breeders have fewer than 10 heads.
El Bouari concluded by emphasizing that the next measure will involve protecting and encouraging national production through the suspension of customs duties and value-added tax applied on the import of sheep, goats, and powdered milk.
