Muslims in France will not slaughter sheep, Morocco cancels Eidul Azha sacrifice

This year, many Muslims in France will be unable to perform the traditional Eidul Azha sacrifice due to soaring livestock prices, and a lack of approved slaughtering facilities. Meanwhile, in Morocco, a Muslim-majority country, the government has officially called on citizens to forgo the ritual sacrifice due to a substantial decline in national livestock.

In France’s Gard department, several mosques, including the Lumiere et Piete Mosque in Nimes, have announced that Muslims will not be able to perform the sacrifice this Eid.

In an official statement, the mosque highlighted key obstacles including “the lack of official facilities for ritual slaughter under compliant conditions,” “excessive price increases for sheep,” and “targeted administrative pressures and systematic obstacles hindering freedom of worship.”

Local authorities have permitted only one temporary slaughterhouse to serve the entire Muslim community in the department.

Read: Sindh govt bans publicity for animal hide collection on Eidul Azha

This facility, located at Ferme de Vestric in Vestric-et-Candiac. will operate under the supervision of the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection (DDPP), with officials inspecting each animal before slaughter.

In response to the challenges, religious leaders in France have encouraged Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation by donating to organisations performing sacrifices in countries where people are in dire need of food and support.

In Morocco, authorities had already announced in February that citizens should avoid sacrificing animals this year due to a sharp drop in sheep numbers. King Mohammed VI urged restraint in light of a 38% decline in the country’s sheep population since 2016.

The livestock crisis, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, has worsened due to years of ongoing drought. In 2024, the number of female breeding sheep fell to 8.7 million, down from 11 million in 2016, posing a serious threat to the regeneration of livestock herds.