Morocco has already officially canceled the Islamic eid Adha, also known as the sacrificial party. That is what the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, said on Wednesday. The reason is the constant drought in the North African country, which means that the national herd has shrunk enormously. The major economic crisis in the country also plays a role.
According to Toufiq, the sacrificial party would “cause great damage to a large part of the people, in particular those with limited resources”. During the sacrificial party, which takes place in June, Muslims slaughter sheep or goats. The meat is distributed among friends, family and the less fortunate.
For the past six years, Morocco has been officially suffering from drought, which has a heavy impact on the agricultural sector. Meadow grounds wither, causing a lack of food for grazing cattle. In nine years, the National Livestock in the country has therefore shrunk by almost forty percent. The prices of meat in Morocco have since risen rapidly and the country imports more and more sheep from other countries.
It is not the first time that Morocco cancel the sacrificial party due to drought: in 1981 and 1996 the authorities made the same decision due to the climatic conditions.