Amid drought, King urges Moroccans not to kill sheep for Eid al-Adha

Amid the ongoing drought in Morocco, King Mohammed VI has urged people not to slaughter sheep for the upcoming Eid al-Adha festivities for the first time in 29 years.

In a letter on Wednesday read by the minister of Islamic affairs, he cited economic hardship and the climate crisis as the reason for dwindling herds and the rising price of livestock.

For farmers like Larbi El Ghazouani, the request is a shock. He had been hoping to sell most of his sheep to make good on his investment.

"Expenses have increased. For example, the price of straw was 20 dirhams ($2) for 20 kilogrammes. Now it is 60 dirhams ($6) for the same amount. Alfalfa costs 120 dirhams ($12) for 20 kilogrammes and it used to be 80 dirhams,” he says.

“There is a difference between previous years before the drought and today and we are suffering because of this."

Despite wasting money on the fodder, El Ghazouani says he respects the king's decision. But he hopes there will be some assistance from the government.

“If the Ministry of Agriculture helps us, for example, with support in barley and grains, we will keep the herd," he says.

The six-year drought has caused unrelenting inflation to hit food markets, putting the yearly sacrifice and feast out of reach for most Moroccans.

"I have 70 heads of sheep that I prepared for Eid al-Adha, but now they will remain here. Perhaps I will sell some of them during occasions or family celebrations,” says El Ghazouani.

“As for the ewes, I will keep them so that they can give birth and I will take care of them like the other sheep, so that they may give birth to new baby sheep for me next year."

Eid al-Adha, which this year takes place in early June, is a major holiday for millions of Muslims around the world.

Its traditions are so embedded that families have been known to take out loans to buy sheep for the sacrifice.

Morocco's agricultural minister earlier this month said rainfall this season was 53 per cent below the last 30 years' annual average.

Sheep and cattle herds have shrunk by 38 per cent since 2016 which is the last time Morocco conducted a livestock census.