Many Moroccans feel relieved when the king urges people not to kill sheep for the Great Eid Festival

Moroccan families usually celebrate the feast of sacrifice of Eid al-Fitr, praying in the mosque in the morning and harsh meat skewers at night. But in recent years, many people have not been able to afford the basic necessities – the cost of killing sheep for one of the most sacred festivals in Islam.

So when King Mohammed VI urged people last week not to buy sheep in June for this year’s feast, it felt very eager relief for many Moroccans, who felt pain between their faith, tradition, tradition and exhausted financing.

The king said on state-owned television: “It would cause some harm to carry out this difficult situation in such difficult situations, especially those with limited income, who are also the king of the religious leaders of Morocco. The king added: “I will perform the ritual of Eid on behalf of my people, God will.” ”

The country’s deep economic hardship worsened during the seven-year drought, which intensified the extreme caloric periods associated with scientists’ climate change. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, recent rainfall has been 53% lower than the average in the past 30 years. The cumulative effect reduces harvest yields, drys water sources and helps increase food prices, including meat.

In this case, King Mohammed spoke of the challenges that the Moroccans might face.

“What I care about is getting you to observe this religious ritual in the best case scenario, with my responsibility to consider the climate and economic challenges facing our country, which has led to a significant decline in livestock numbers,” he said.

Eid al-Adha (also known as Eid al-Kabir or “Big Eid”) is an expensive day for most Moroccans. A family usually buys sheep days or weeks in advance, then slaughter the sheep on the first day and celebrates by sharing meat with relatives, friends, neighbors and people in need. The celebration commemorates the religious story of Abraham’s willingness to kill his son as God’s command.

“People usually save money for it,” said Nargisse Benkabbou, a chef specializing in Moroccan cuisine, speaking at his parents’ home in the capital of Rabat.

Even individuals or families who don’t have a lot of money will try to buy animals and sometimes work with neighbors to afford it. They will make dishes like Boulfaf, with roasted lamb wrapped in small intestine fat.

Ms Benkab said the king’s appeal for restraint was a “grid of the nation’s unity” that could save people from shame and heartache this year.

“A large part of the country will not be able to buy lambs this year and will feel introverted,” she said. “Now, under the blessing of the king, they don’t have to do that.”

It may also relieve stress when they start buying a revelry dinner for Moroccans during Ramadan, which begins on weekends and is a three-day celebration during Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the Holy Fasting Month.

Abdelfetah Ait El-Hamri, who owns a shop in a small town near Marrakech, said many people have fallen behind finances. He said his customers owe him about $5,000 in loans – which only applies to regular groceries.

Official data show that about 37% of people aged 15 to 24 in the country are unemployed, while about 23% of all Moroccans are unemployed or under-employed. Last year, 55% of people could not afford the Eid sheep, according to the nonprofit Moroccan Citizenship Center.

The king, who has been on the throne since 1999, never called on Morocco to skip the sacrifice, although his father, King Hassan II, did it three times during the drought and hard times.

These days, Agriculture Minister Ahmed Bouari recently told reporters that the country’s sheep and cow population has 38% lower than in 2016.

Government spokesman Mustapha Baitas said that while Morocco recently tried to increase the number of livestock by importing 100,000 sheep from Australia, people said they found the price was too high.

“That’s three times the price we’ve paid in the past,” said Jamila El-Yacoubi, a 40-year-old domestic worker.

She said that a sheep spent about Dh7,000, about $700 on her meat annual budget. She just can’t afford it.

In the king’s call for restrictions on Eid al-Fitr, she said: “I’m sad because it’s an important religious tradition. But at the same time, I’m happy because we can’t afford to pay for such prices.”

Abdelmounim Rouadgi, 29, a sheep supplier who has purchased 150 sheep and ordered another 150 suppliers for EID, said he has stopped the orders after the 300s.

“We can do nothing,” he said. “We can be patient.”