Morocco sees sharp decline in poultry prices as cost of living crisis eases

MOROCCO – Poultry prices in Morocco have dropped significantly, signaling the end of the recent cost of living crisis that has burdened citizens. 

According to poultry producers and breeders, the price of a kilogram of chicken has stabilized at about 19 dirhams (US$1.93) in local markets.

Industry experts reported that wholesale market prices had fallen to 16 dirhams per kilogram by the end of September. 

This price drop has been linked to a reduction in demand and the restoration of balance in the poultry market.

However, Ali Shtour, President of the Moroccan Association for Consumer Rights Defense, expressed concerns about possible price manipulation by speculators. 

He urged the government to maintain strict oversight of the market to ensure a balance between supply and demand.

Earlier this year, poultry prices surged to an unprecedented 30 dirhams (US$3.06) per kilogram in August. 

Producers attributed this spike to an increase in demand, driven partly by the high cost of red meat and the return of the Moroccan diaspora during the summer.

In 2021, Morocco’s poultry population reached around 217 million, a significant rise from 2010. 

While chickens remain the country’s most common livestock, the rapid growth in the sector over the past four decades has seen production soar from 55,000 tons in 1981 to 625,000 tons by 2021. 

Although backyard poultry farming is still common in rural areas, its contribution to the national output remains small.

The poultry sector experienced a major setback in 2022 when overproduction caused the price of chicken to fall to as low as 11.50 dirhams (US$1.13) per bird, well below the production cost of 16 dirhams (US$1.63) per kilo, resulting in significant losses for farmers.

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