Even before the Moroccan government suspended Eid al-Adha this year, sheep breeders were already grappling with drought, debt, and surging feed prices.
At the Salon International de l’Agriculture au Maroc (SIAM), breeders told Hespress English that while the cancellation of the sacrificial season deepened their challenges, they have no plans to change their herding methods or reduce herd sizes.
Veteran breeder Ahmed Gerraj from Tlat Bejaad stood proudly next to his prized Bejaad sheep and goats. He maintains a herd of 800 animals—most of them Moroccan breeds—that rely entirely on purchased feed. A single tonne costs him about MAD 9,000, and he spends over MAD 10,000 each week to keep his animals fed.
“It’s still not enough,” Gerraj said, noting that the occasional government feed drops of 20 to 30 sacks barely make a dent.
Gerraj took on loans in anticipation of Eid sales that never came. With no market and growing debts, he says financial pressure is mounting. “I’m not planning to cut down the number of sheep I raise. I just want to get out of debt,” he said.
Sheep prices have plummeted. A healthy ram that once sold for MAD 5,000 now fetches as little as MAD 2,000. Compounding the issue, authorities barred the slaughter of female sheep this year, leaving small-scale breeders—many of whom primarily raise ewes—stuck with unsellable livestock.
Breeders follow a predictable cycle: ewes give birth in November and are fattened for Eid, traditionally a major sales period. But after years of drought, pastures have dried up, making feed the only option—at a high cost.
Nearby, Mohamed Jerniss from Khouribga displayed his Bejaad Safra line, a breed he’s raised since childhood. With 360 animals, he said he’s managed to stay afloat by adopting a more scientific approach to breeding.
“Thanks to the National Association of Sheep and Goat Breeders, lambs now weigh about 3 kilograms at birth,” Jerniss said. “They’re fed on a regimented mix, unlike in the past when we relied on grass.”
Despite the canceled holiday, Jerniss said he’s not changing course. “The way we breed our sheep is still the same. We’ve learned to adjust to everything—especially drought,” he said, adding that smaller breeders will bear the brunt of the crisis.
In Taroudant, breeder Si Mohamed Omalek Abdel Moumen has also felt the drought’s effects for the first time this year. He owns 300 goats, 80 of which were sold during last year’s Eid. Still, he’s avoided the high cost of feed by letting his animals graze in nearby forests.
While breeders speak of hardship, visitors at SIAM offered mixed reactions. Khalid Gherras, a regular attendee from Kenitra, said sheep prices have surged 50% in recent months. Zouhair El Allak, also from Kenitra, agreed, calling the current environment one of the most difficult in recent memory.
But both see a silver lining for consumers.
“It’s good for citizens,” Gherras said. “Without this pause, the price of sheep would’ve been even higher.”
El Allak went further, suggesting the suspension of Eid al-Adha continue for at least three years. “There just aren’t enough sheep to meet demand,” he said.
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