Morocco’s poultry prices remain high despite end of summer

Poultry prices in Morocco continue to rise in both wholesale and retail markets, defying consumer expectations of a seasonal drop as summer comes to an end.

Industry sources said wholesale chicken prices stand at 21 dirhams ($2.10) per kilogram, while retail prices exceed 23 dirhams ($2.30). Many Moroccans had anticipated lower prices with cooler weather and the close of the holiday season, but sellers have largely maintained current rates.

The increase is attributed to several factors, including the lack of government support for farmers facing higher feed and production costs, coupled with strong demand driven by weddings, restaurant activity, and the return of Moroccans living abroad.

Khalid Rabti, communications officer for the Interprofessional Federation of the Poultry Sector (FISA), told Hespress that supply has been constrained by high summer consumption and recent heatwaves, which caused greater poultry mortality and slowed growth, particularly in farms without cooling systems.

He added that the sector has yet to fully recover from losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many producers to scale back operations. Middlemen have also played a role in pushing up prices by multiplying profit margins between farms and retailers.

Rabti said prices may ease in early September, when the summer season ends and students return to school. But he stressed that longer-term solutions are needed to stabilize the market.

“These fluctuations penalize both consumers and producers,” he said, calling for implementation of a 2019 joint ministerial directive aimed at upgrading local slaughter units known as riyâchates.

He also urged the creation of small-scale, modern, government-approved slaughterhouses as part of FISA’s 2021 program, which seeks to boost the share of poultry sold through approved facilities to 90% by 2030 under a contract with the Agriculture Ministry.