A few days before Eid al-Adha, the markets for sheep and goats prepared for slaughter on occasion recorded an abundance in supply
but also prices were stable compared to last year.
Indeed, for the first time in a long time, sheep prices are stabilizing a few days before the Holy Feast, in a better-organized market and with a higher supply than demand.
Moreover, as explained by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forestry, the supply of sheep and goats for slaughter is sufficient and largely covers the demand. . As for the prices of sheep, in the markets and cattle markets, they are at the same level as the prices of the previous crop season.
Thus, the Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, will ensure the close monitoring of the supply of the various markets to closely monitor the prices of the animals being marketed, especially at the level of supermarkets, rural markets, and key areas. Points of sale in cities, as well as monitoring of the health status of animals by the veterinary services of the National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA).
The MAP is approaching, Al-Madani, a sheep breeder for more than 30 years in Sidi Tibi, said that the prices of sheep in the town and its suburbs range, as of last Monday, between 2,200 and 3,200 dirhams for high-quality sheep. Average, and between 3400 to 6800 dirhams for the best quality.
In Kenitra, there are many points of sale along the old road leading to "Awlad Wajih". Muhammad, in his fifties, sits on a bench in the center of his dwelling, surrounded by his sheep, which are huddled together in a small fenced plot, running behind each other, flick left, flick left. Right.
"Normally, I sell between 100 and 140 heads in this period. I try to meet the demand by offering sheep at a price of 2,800 dirhams. I think that the prices I offer are "affordable" for small bags that want to experience the joy of Eid and sacrifice, as Kenitra explains He invests in this market every year.
A little further, Idris, a breeder from Casablanca, negotiates with a potential client. Inside, prices are much higher than in Kenitra, except that his sheep are larger and he is the breeder. "I am a local," he said. "Every year, I bring back more than 3,000 head of sheep that I sell in the market."
He continued: "Currently, I have in this box 200 heads including 150" Sardis ", in this case, the sheep most popular with Moroccans, which I sell from 6000 to 8000 dirhams in weight. With somewhat different price ranges, we try as much as possible to fulfill the demand of buyers with whom we have established a trusting relationship over the years.”
On the other side of the aisle, Hamid says he is "not very satisfied" with his sales at the moment, and that he is counting more on purchases by Moroccans Residing Abroad (MRE) who will certainly arrive in great numbers this summer. For holidays and celebrations with family, after two years of absence due to the Covid-19 health crisis.
On the customer side, Hafiza, a 45-year-old widow who has been responsible for buying sheep since her husband's death, confirms after several visits to the markets that prices are fairly stable "contrary to what has been traded on the internet for a long time".
It is clear that this Eid al-Adha is more than anything else a blessing for breeders and farmers, in general, to replenish their cash flow and start the next season quietly.