Minister of Agriculture Announces Measures to Support Livestock Sector
The Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources, and Maritime Fishing, Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh, announced that his department is working in coordination with all concerned structures to develop a specific program in preparation for Eid al-Adha 2026. The goal is to ensure the availability of sheep in dedicated markets in sufficient quantities and to guarantee the fluidity of supply.
Speaking during a plenary session in Parliament, the Minister indicated that the cattle herd has recorded a 20% decline, a consequence of drought, lack of water resources, and the increase in global prices of animal feed. This situation has strongly impacted the entire animal production sector.
To mitigate the effects of the crisis and restructure the sector, Ben Cheikh announced a series of urgent and strategic measures aimed at protecting the herd and supporting small breeders, considered the most vulnerable category in the sector.
These measures include:
- Institutional reform with the creation of a National Office of Forage
- Fixing the prices of imported raw materials for animal feed under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce
- Strengthening sanitary prevention programs and protecting the national animal heritage
- Implementing a national program to rebuild the herd over four years, aiming to restore balance to the sector and improve its profitability
The Minister estimated that these actions will allow for an improvement in the supply of red meat, ensure better price stability, and enhance the quality of national production in the coming years.
