In an unprecedented move, the King of Morocco has cancelled Eid al-Adha, meaning the annual Feast of Sacrifice will not take place on 6 June. This marks only the fourth time since 1956 that the North African nation has skipped this significant event in the Islamic religious calendar. The monarch’s decision was driven by the ongoing drought and its severe impact on the national livestock industry and food market. However, without the usual supply of raw materials from sacrificial animals, Morocco’s leather industry stands to lose between 2 and 3 billion dirhams (approximately EUR 190–280 million).
Economic consequences
According to local press reports, the government agency Centre de Prospection Économique et Sociale has assessed the potential effects of this decision. The positive outcome is the preservation of Morocco’s sheep and goat population (currently 14 million head), saving around 4 million animals from culling and reducing the need for live imports. However, the broader economic impact – including taxation – appears overwhelmingly negative, with losses estimated at 20 billion dirhams (EUR 1.8 billion). After livestock farmers and slaughterhouses, tanners are among the hardest hit, as the industry, which employs around 50,000 people, faces a major disruption in its supply of raw hides. Productivity is now at risk.
Photo: Shutterstock – Grazing in the Atlas Mountains
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