Morocco's livestock decrease amid consecutive droughts, agriculture minister says

Morocco's agriculture minister, Ahmed El Bouari, announced a 38% decrease in cattle and sheep populations compared to nine years ago, attributing the decline to six years of severe droughts. These conditions have drained dams to critical lows, with key agricultural regions like Doukala and Souss-Massa reporting dam levels at just 2% and 15%, respectively. The national dam filling rate stands at 26%. The droughts have also slashed pasture availability, prompting Morocco to ramp up cattle and red meat imports to stabilize domestic market prices. To mitigate impact, the 2025 budget eliminates import duties and VAT on livestock and red meat, following a significant increase in imports this year.