The Moroccan government published Decree 2.26.584 on July 27, suspending import duties on live sheep and on beef, sheep meat, goat meat and camel meat through December 31, 2026.
The measure applies to imports from all origins and is aimed at increasing domestic red meat supplies after a 2025 livestock census revealed a decline of close to 30% in the cattle herd, attributed to periods of drought and higher animal feed costs.
The new decree adds duty-free access for live sheep and for beef, sheep meat, goat meat and camel meat. Offal from these species is expressly excluded and remains subject to a 30% tariff, according to Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture (Mapa).
The general tariff on beef and sheep meat is prohibitive, ranging from 200% to 254%. Reducing it to zero effectively opens the market to origins without preferential trade agreements, including Mercosur countries.
Imports of live cattle for slaughter were already exempt. They operated under annual tariff-rate quotas, free of both import duties and VAT, set at 300,000 head for 2026 —a scheme Morocco has renewed each year since 2023 through its Finance Law. At the same time, beef and sheep meat were already covered by a duty-free quota.
In 2025, Brazilian live cattle exports to Morocco totaled US$ 213.5 million, up from US$ 41 million in 2024, accounting for 46.7% of Morocco’s imports of the product. In the first four months of 2026, Morocco was the second-largest destination for Brazilian live cattle exports.
For Uruguay, Morocco is the third-largest destination for live cattle, with an 8% share. Around 13,500 head were shipped in the January-July period.
What this latest decree adds is the exemption for live sheep and for meat from the four species —with offal excluded— under the same underlying objective: rebuilding domestic supply after the decline in livestock numbers.
