Despite announcing in early February last year that Morocco would open its market to Australian sheep imports, allowing up to 100,000 head, the country has not yet imported a single shipment, according to Australian industry sources.
Mark Harvey Sutton, CEO of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC), told The Weekly Times that the lack of exports to Morocco is mainly due to the long distance and high transportation costs, which pose a major obstacle for Moroccan importers.
Sutton also said that Moroccan importers frequently change their sources, buying livestock from various markets including Europe and South America. However, he suggested that Australia could still export sheep to Morocco in the future.
In a statement to Hespress AR, Mohamed Jebli, president of the Moroccan Federation of Livestock Actors, said the government halted livestock imports in September last year. Official figures from the Ministry of Agriculture show that Morocco’s national flock includes more than 23 million sheep, of which 16 million are female.
Jebli added that the 2024 finance law included customs exemptions for livestock imports until September, but the 2025 finance law did not renew these exemptions. He said that, based on official data, the national herd is sufficient and there is no need to import, especially from Australia where shipping costs would raise the final price for imported sheep.
In February 2025, a delegation of Moroccan government officials and livestock importers visited Perth, Australia, to discuss opening Morocco’s market to Australian livestock exporters. At the time, the head of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council said Morocco was a promising market in need of rebuilding its national herd after drought waves.
In August, the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests announced the results of a national livestock census conducted across the country from June 26 to August 11. The census recorded a total of 32.8 million livestock, including more than 23 million sheep, 7 million goats, over 2 million cattle, and 106,000 camels.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.