In a surprising move, Chinese authorities announced a suspension of imports of birds, poultry, and their derivatives from the Kingdom of Morocco, claiming reported cases of Newcastle disease in the region.
The decision, issued on April 28, 2025, included strict measures requiring the return or destruction of animal shipments arriving from the Moroccan region of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, along with the disinfection of accompanying waste, as part of what they described as efforts to curb cross-border biological risks.
However, this decision has puzzled industry professionals in Morocco, especially given the absence of any significant trade relations in this sector between the two countries. The President of the National Poultry Producers Association confirmed that “China does not import poultry from Morocco at all,” adding that the decision is not based on any real data.
He explained that Morocco’s poultry exports remain limited, primarily involving hatching eggs and some offal, directed mainly to sub-Saharan African markets, as well as to the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He continued, “Involving Morocco in such decisions raises questions, especially since we are not recording any Newcastle disease cases according to official data.”
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has not recorded any notifications regarding infectious diseases in Morocco as of April 30, 2025, according to the newspaper, while the organization’s data documents diseases such as anthrax in Lesotho and Congo, rabies in Melilla, and avian influenza in countries like Liberia, Togo, and Niger.
Conversely, as of the preparation of this report, Moroccan authorities have not issued any official response to the Chinese decision, raising questions about the motives behind the Chinese action and how it aligns with the health and trade realities in the Kingdom.
