MOROCCO – The surge in feed prices has sharply driven up the cost of food in Morocco, placing considerable strain on the poultry industry and the household budgets of many citizens.
In recent months, chicken prices in Morocco have spiked by 3 dirhams per kilogram, now standing at 25 dirhams (US$2.55) per kilogram—a near-record high, as reported by Al Ahdath Al Maghribia.
Farmers are attributing the increase to skyrocketing feed costs, which they warn could escalate further, potentially precipitating a crisis in the near future.
The Moroccan poultry sector, which relies heavily on imported ingredients like corn, soybeans, and sunflower oil, is feeling the pinch as these key components, comprising 80% of poultry production costs, become increasingly expensive.
The Professional Federation of the Poultry Sector has pointed to global market trends and logistical challenges—particularly the ongoing crisis in the Red Sea—as significant factors contributing to the rising feed prices.
These global dynamics are compounding the financial strain on poultry farmers nationwide.
Representatives from the Moroccan Association of Poultry Breeders have echoed these concerns, emphasizing the toll that rising feed costs are taking on the poultry industry.
With Morocco producing around 600,000 tonnes of poultry meat annually—500,000 tonnes of broiler meat and 100,000 tonnes of turkey meat—the increasing cost of production, now at 18 dirhams (US$1.84) per kilogram for broiler meat, is raising serious concerns about the sector’s sustainability.
A month ago, it was reported that Morocco’s poultry industry, which has seen significant growth over the last four decades,was to face an impending crisis as poultry prices are expected to rise sharply in the coming days.
This sparked concerns among both farmers and consumers across the country, especially because poultry production in Morocco had grown remarkably, with output increasing from 55,000 tons and 278 million eggs in 1981 to an impressive 625,000 tons and 5.5 billion eggs in 2021.
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