Red Meat Prices Soar in Morocco: Consumers at Their End
Prices of red meat in Moroccan markets continue to rise, exceeding 110 dirhams per kilogram, causing increasing difficulties for middle-income households.
Prices of red meats, including beef, mutton and goat, have reached unprecedented levels since the end of Eid al-Adha. A kilogram of beef now exceeds 100 dirhams, while that of mutton reaches around 140 dirhams. Goat meat, although less common, is also seeing its prices increase.
In Salé, many butcher shops have remained closed since June, particularly in working-class neighborhoods like Ennahda and Rahma. The few merchants who have reopened are struggling to get supplies, often confronting their customers with the phrase: “We are waiting for the goods.”
Butchers attribute the price increase to the rising cost of animals. A calf, for example, now costs between three and four million centimes, compared to two million previously. Processed products such as “kfta” and “sausage” now cost 120 dirhams per kilogram, while fillets and other choice cuts can reach 160 dirhams per kilogram.
In the butchers’ shopping center of Salé, business is at a standstill. Many butcher shops remain closed, and those that are open are struggling to maintain a regular supply. According to a local butcher, drought and lack of livestock are the main reasons for this crisis.
The Ministry of Agriculture has implemented various measures to support the supply of red meat, including subsidizing fodder and suspending import duties on cattle and sheep until the end of the year. However, these efforts have not yet succeeded in stabilizing prices. The Minister of Agriculture recently explained that the succession of years of drought has strongly impacted the cost of production and the availability of animal feed.
While waiting for sustainable solutions, Moroccan consumers continue to face high prices for red meats. The question remains: how long will this situation persist, making red meats an inaccessible luxury for many Moroccans?
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