Morocco has seen a significant increase in its imports of cattle and sheep over the past three years, as part of efforts to meet rising domestic demand and ensure price stability, amid growing challenges related to food security and boosting domestic production.
Data shows that between 2022 and 2024, Morocco imported a total of 217,719 head of cattle, at a cost of 3.7 billion dirhams.
Despite a modest start in late 2022, with only 3,769 head imported, 2023 saw a remarkable jump, with 104,748 head imported worth more than 1.6 billion dirhams. This momentum continued into 2024, with the country importing 109,202 head at a cost nearing 2.02 billion dirhams.
Regarding sheep, Morocco's imports in 2023 amounted to about 399,495 head, costing 635 million dirhams. In the first ten months of 2024, these figures doubled, with 737,065 head imported worth over 1.3 billion dirhams, bringing the total to 1.36 million head in two years. This trend reflects an increasing effort to meet domestic market needs, especially during agricultural seasons and religious events.
Economists argue that these figures highlight the importance of imports in meeting local demand, but they also underline Morocco's growing reliance on foreign markets, raising concerns about food security. While imports help close the gap in the short term, experts stress the urgent need to develop the country's local livestock production infrastructure and encourage investment in the agricultural sector to cope with high costs and global market fluctuations.
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