The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Ahmed El Bouari, highlighted on Thursday in Rabat the effectiveness of the initiatives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI aimed at preserving the national livestock during years of severe drought.
Speaking at a press briefing held after the Government Council, El Bouari underlined the decisive role of the wise Royal decision calling on the Moroccan people to abstain from performing the ritual sacrifice of Eid Al Adha this year.
Furthermore, the Minister pointed out the impact of the official ban on the slaughter of female livestock, and its strict enforcement, on improving the reproductive capacity of the national herd.
He also emphasized the positive effect of improved climatic conditions between January and April 2025 on pastures, praising “the considerable effort made by breeders to preserve their herds despite difficult conditions (…) and their sacrifices.”
At the same time, El Bouari recalled that the national livestock census, conducted across all prefectures and provinces of the Kingdom from June 26 to August 11, 2025, revealed that the total livestock population stands at more than 32.8 million head.
He specified that the number of recent births among animals less than six months old amounts to 6.4 million head, in addition to births occurring between December 2024 and March 2025, estimated at around 3 million head, bringing the total to 9.4 million head.
According to the Minister, the measures taken have helped preserve 3 million breeding females and 3.5 million rams, contributing to the supply of the national market with red meat.
MAP: 28 August 2025
