Fouzi Lekjaa calls for quarterly monitoring of prices and margins to protect purchasing power.
The regulation of food supply chains has taken center stage in parliamentary debates surrounding the 2027 Finance Bill. On Wednesday, 11 November 2026, the Committee on Finance and Economic Development of the House of Representatives adopted an amendment tabled by the parliamentary majority groups aimed at placing strict administrative oversight on imports of live cattle, as well as fresh, chilled, or frozen meat and offal. Speaking during the session, the Minister of Economy, Finance, and Public Performance, Fouzi Lekjaa, advocated for total transparency across the commercialization chain to verify purchase prices abroad, logistical costs, and the margins applied by operators. Acknowledging candidly that previous subsidies granted for livestock imports ahead of Eid al-Adha had failed to produce the desired effect on final prices, the government official proposed establishing a joint quarterly evaluation with Parliament to precisely identify the actors involved, the volumes introduced into the country, and their actual impact on the Moroccan consumer’s shopping basket.
Reconstitution of the livestock herd and diversification of supply sources
This regulated resort to foreign markets responds to demanding climatic conditions marked by several consecutive years of drought that have weakened the national livestock inventory in the face of sustained domestic demand. However, the minister stressed the complexity of international sourcing due to heightened competition and constrained global supply, urging importers to diversify their supplier countries while scrupulously complying with health standards and local culinary preferences. Opening up to imports remains strictly cyclical in nature, intended to relieve pressure on local slaughtering while national production capacities recover sustainably.
Impact on purchasing power and agricultural sovereignty
Implementing rigorous controls over import margins and volumes is an essential lever for cleansing competition and preserving household purchasing power. By curbing the premature slaughter of breeding stock through controlled external supply, these measures protect national animal heritage and support the resilience of rural breeders. This transparent economic governance fosters a balance between the immediate food security of citizens and the long-term viability of livestock farming sectors across all agricultural regions of the Kingdom.
