Latest news with #FatimaKharraz
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Morocco Celebrates Sheepless Eid as Drought Persists
As Eid al-Adha came, Fatima Kharraz can't seem to find the usual sense of celebration after King Mohammed VI decided to cancel the traditional animal sacrifice this year due to the country's ongoing drought and economic challenges, which have led to a sharp drop in livestock numbers. At the weekly livestock market in Khemisset, a small town near the capital Rabat, the usual holiday buzz was missing. On February 26, the King announced through a letter read by the minister of Islamic affairs that families should 'abstain' from slaughtering a sheep this year due to the ongoing drought and resulting decline in livestock. This is the first time Morocco takes similar measures since 1996. While sacrificing sheep during Eid al-Adha is not a religious obligation, it remains a widely observed ritual across the Muslim world. The North African country of some 37 million people has typically seen up to six million sheep sacrificed each year for Eid al-Adha, Agriculture Minister Ahmed Bouari said in March. 'We don't feel the usual excitement,' said Kharraz. 'It's as if the holiday doesn't exist.' But the 52-year-old said it would have been prohibitively expensive to observe the sacrifice this year: sheep 'prices were already high last year... We couldn't have afforded it.' Yet within Morocco, the king's appeal has largely been met with understanding. 'I support the decision,' said Mona Hajjami, 28, buying vegetables at the market. Still, she added, 'it's normal to feel a void without an atmosphere of grilled meat.' According to Hajjami, some families 'would have to take out loans' to buy sheep. Morocco grapples with a seventh consecutive year of a dry spell that has caused livestock numbers to decline. Recent rainfall deficits have chipped away at grazing pastures, also driving up the cost of livestock feed. This has shrunk Morocco's livestock numbers by 38% compared to the figure counted in the last census in 2016, according to the agriculture ministry. In 2024, the Moroccan government has offered direct financial support for the importation of sheep intended for slaughter during Eid al-Adha. 'Our concern to enable you to observe this religious ritual in the best circumstances is accompanied by our duty to consider the climate and economic challenges facing our country, which have led to a significant disease in livestock numbers,' the King said in his directives. He stressed that performing Eid al-Adha under these challenges 'would cause real harm to many of our people, particularly those with limited resources.' At the Khemisset market, 24-year-old Marouane Haizoun leaned against the rails of a nearly empty pen, waiting to sell two cows. He said he had left his sheep on the family farm as it would have been difficult to sell any this year. 'Prices would have been exorbitant,' he said, while Mustapha Mastour, a 52-year-old horse and sheep breeder, said they would have climbed to '6,000 or 7,000 dirhams" ($600-$700). In Morocco, the minimum wage is about $300. Many households opted instead to purchase small cuts of meat or lamb liver -- key ingredients in Eid recipes. 'We've seen an increase in demand (for lamb meat), but it won't have any impact' on endeavors to restore livestock numbers, said Mohamed Jebli, president of the Moroccan Federation of Livestock Industry Stakeholders.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Left without lamb: Morocco urges citizens to skip Aidiladha sheep sacrifice as drought slashes livestock and prices soar
KHEMISSET (Morocco), June 5 — As the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha approaches, Fatima Kharraz can't seem to find the usual sense of celebration after drought-stricken Morocco urged people to forego the traditional sheep sacrifice this year. The rare call was made as the kingdom grapples with a seventh consecutive year's of a dry spell that has caused livestock numbers to decline. 'We don't feel the usual excitement,' said Kharraz. 'It's as if the holiday doesn't exist.' But the 52-year-old said it would have been prohibitively expensive to observe the sacrifice this year: sheep 'prices were already high last year... We couldn't have afforded it.' While sacrificing sheep during Eid al-Adha is not a religious obligation, it remains a widely observed ritual across the Muslim world. At the weekly livestock market in Khemisset, a small town near the capital Rabat, the usual holiday buzz was missing. Cattle and horses stood in makeshift pens with no sheep in sight, an eerie scene for many just days before the festivity Moroccans are set to observe on Saturday. Late February, King Mohammed VI — also the kingdom's 'Commander of the Faithful' — cited both 'climate and economic challenges' when announcing the measure. He said those challenges have caused a 'substantial decline' in the country's livestock. A shepherd tends his flock of sheep that was being prepared for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of sacrifice, in Khemisset in the Rabat region, about 100 kilometres east of the Moroccan capital, on June 3, 2025. — AFP pic 'Exorbitant' His late father, Hassan II, made a similar appeal in 1996 when the kingdom also struggled with drought. Recent rainfall deficits have chipped away at grazing pastures, also driving up the cost of livestock feed. This has shrunk Morocco's livestock numbers by more than a third compared to the figure counted in the last census in 2016, according to the agriculture ministry. It has also caused red meat prices to skyrocket, making it unaffordable for many in a country where the minimum monthly wage is just over 3,000 dirhams (RM1,379). For livestock sellers, the economic toll has also proved heavy. At the Khemisset market, 24-year-old Marouane Haizoun leaned against the rails of a nearly empty pen, waiting to sell two cows. He said he had left his sheep on the family farm as it would have been difficult to sell any this year. 'Prices would have been exorbitant,' he said, while Mustapha Mastour, a 52-year-old horse and sheep breeder, said they would have climbed to '6,000 or 7,000 dirhams'. Some families 'would have to take out loans' to buy sheep, said Mona Hajjami, 28, buying vegetables at the market. A woman walks past hanging meat at a butcher's at the weekly market in Khemisset in the Rabat region, about 100 kilometres east of the Moroccan capital, on June 3, 2025 amidst preparations ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of sacrifice. — AFP pic 'Void' Many households opted instead to purchase small cuts of meat or lamb liver — key ingredients in Eid recipes. 'We've seen an increase in demand (for lamb meat), but it won't have any impact' on endeavours to restore livestock numbers, said Mohamed Jebli, president of the Moroccan Federation of Livestock Industry Stakeholders. The North African country of some 37 million people has typically seen up to six million sheep sacrificed each year for Eid al-Adha, Agriculture Minister Ahmed Bouari said in March. Last month, the government unveiled a 6.2 billion dirham relief plan, including subsidies for animal feed and partial debt relief for herders. Both breeders Mastour and Haizoun hoped for an equitable distribution of the aid, saying that big livestock owners were usually the primary beneficiaries. This year's unusual circumstances has caused a stir on social media, with false claims circulating about surveillance drones monitoring the festivities and steep fines for anyone defying the royal directive. Yet within Morocco, the king's appeal has largely been met with understanding. 'I support the decision,' said Hajjami. Still, she added, 'it's normal to feel a void without an atmosphere of grilled meat.' — AFP
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Morocco set for sheepless Eid as drought persists
As the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha approaches, Fatima Kharraz can't seem to find the usual sense of celebration after drought-stricken Morocco urged people to forego the traditional sheep sacrifice this year. The rare call was made as the kingdom grapples with a seventh consecutive year's of a dry spell that has caused livestock numbers to decline. "We don't feel the usual excitement," said Kharraz. "It's as if the holiday doesn't exist." But the 52-year-old said it would have been prohibitively expensive to observe the sacrifice this year: sheep "prices were already high last year... We couldn't have afforded it." While sacrificing sheep during Eid al-Adha is not a religious obligation, it remains a widely observed ritual across the Muslim world. At the weekly livestock market in Khemisset, a small town near the capital Rabat, the usual holiday buzz was missing. Cattle and horses stood in makeshift pens with no sheep in sight, an eerie scene for many just days before the festivity Moroccans are set to observe on Saturday. Late February, King Mohammed VI -- also the kingdom's "Commander of the Faithful" -- cited both "climate and economic challenges" when announcing the measure. He said those challenges have caused a "substantial decline" in the country's livestock. - 'Exorbitant' - His late father, Hassan II, made a similar appeal in 1996 when the kingdom also struggled with drought. Recent rainfall deficits have chipped away at grazing pastures, also driving up the cost of livestock feed. This has shrunk Morocco's livestock numbers by more than a third compared to the figure counted in the last census in 2016, according to the agriculture ministry. It has also caused red meat prices to skyrocket, making it unaffordable for many in a country where the minimum monthly wage is just over 3,000 dirhams ($325). For livestock sellers, the economic toll has also proved heavy. At the Khemisset market, 24-year-old Marouane Haizoun leaned against the rails of a nearly empty pen, waiting to sell two cows. He said he had left his sheep on the family farm as it would have been difficult to sell any this year. "Prices would have been exorbitant," he said, while Mustapha Mastour, a 52-year-old horse and sheep breeder, said they would have climbed to "6,000 or 7,000 dirhams" ($650-$760). Some families "would have to take out loans" to buy sheep, said Mona Hajjami, 28, buying vegetables at the market. - 'Void' - Many households opted instead to purchase small cuts of meat or lamb liver -- key ingredients in Eid recipes. "We've seen an increase in demand (for lamb meat), but it won't have any impact" on endeavours to restore livestock numbers, said Mohamed Jebli, president of the Moroccan Federation of Livestock Industry Stakeholders. The North African country of some 37 million people has typically seen up to six million sheep sacrificed each year for Eid al-Adha, Agriculture Minister Ahmed Bouari said in March. Last month, the government unveiled a 6.2 billion dirham ($675 million) relief plan, including subsidies for animal feed and partial debt relief for herders. Both breeders Mastour and Haizoun hoped for an equitable distribution of the aid, saying that big livestock owners were usually the primary beneficiaries. This year's unusual circumstances has caused a stir on social media, with false claims circulating about surveillance drones monitoring the festivities and steep fines for anyone defying the royal directive. Yet within Morocco, the king's appeal has largely been met with understanding. "I support the decision," said Hajjami. Still, she added, "it's normal to feel a void without an atmosphere of grilled meat."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Morocco set for sheepless Eid as drought persists
As the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha approaches, Fatima Kharraz can't seem to find the usual sense of celebration after drought-stricken Morocco urged people to forego the traditional sheep sacrifice this year. The rare call was made as the kingdom grapples with a seventh consecutive year's of a dry spell that has caused livestock numbers to decline. "We don't feel the usual excitement," said Kharraz. "It's as if the holiday doesn't exist." But the 52-year-old said it would have been prohibitively expensive to observe the sacrifice this year: sheep "prices were already high last year... We couldn't have afforded it." While sacrificing sheep during Eid al-Adha is not a religious obligation, it remains a widely observed ritual across the Muslim world. At the weekly livestock market in Khemisset, a small town near the capital Rabat, the usual holiday buzz was missing. Cattle and horses stood in makeshift pens with no sheep in sight, an eerie scene for many just days before the festivity Moroccans are set to observe on Saturday. Late February, King Mohammed VI -- also the kingdom's "Commander of the Faithful" -- cited both "climate and economic challenges" when announcing the measure. He said those challenges have caused a "substantial decline" in the country's livestock. - 'Exorbitant' - His late father, Hassan II, made a similar appeal in 1996 when the kingdom also struggled with drought. Recent rainfall deficits have chipped away at grazing pastures, also driving up the cost of livestock feed. This has shrunk Morocco's livestock numbers by more than a third compared to the figure counted in the last census in 2016, according to the agriculture ministry. It has also caused red meat prices to skyrocket, making it unaffordable for many in a country where the minimum monthly wage is just over 3,000 dirhams ($325). For livestock sellers, the economic toll has also proved heavy. At the Khemisset market, 24-year-old Marouane Haizoun leaned against the rails of a nearly empty pen, waiting to sell two cows. He said he had left his sheep on the family farm as it would have been difficult to sell any this year. "Prices would have been exorbitant," he said, while Mustapha Mastour, a 52-year-old horse and sheep breeder, said they would have climbed to "6,000 or 7,000 dirhams" ($650-$760). Some families "would have to take out loans" to buy sheep, said Mona Hajjami, 28, buying vegetables at the market. - 'Void' - Many households opted instead to purchase small cuts of meat or lamb liver -- key ingredients in Eid recipes. "We've seen an increase in demand (for lamb meat), but it won't have any impact" on endeavours to restore livestock numbers, said Mohamed Jebli, president of the Moroccan Federation of Livestock Industry Stakeholders. The North African country of some 37 million people has typically seen up to six million sheep sacrificed each year for Eid al-Adha, Agriculture Minister Ahmed Bouari said in March. Last month, the government unveiled a 6.2 billion dirham ($675 million) relief plan, including subsidies for animal feed and partial debt relief for herders. Both breeders Mastour and Haizoun hoped for an equitable distribution of the aid, saying that big livestock owners were usually the primary beneficiaries. This year's unusual circumstances has caused a stir on social media, with false claims circulating about surveillance drones monitoring the festivities and steep fines for anyone defying the royal directive. Yet within Morocco, the king's appeal has largely been met with understanding. "I support the decision," said Hajjami. Still, she added, "it's normal to feel a void without an atmosphere of grilled meat." isb/anr/iba/bou/ysm/cms
