ALGIERS, March 11 (AGCNewsNet) – Algeria's government has announced plans to import one million sheep to prevent shortages and stabilize skyrocketing prices ahead of Eid al-Adha.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune instructed ministers on Sunday to launch the large-scale import effort as North Africa faces its seventh consecutive year of drought, driving up animal feed costs and livestock prices.

During last year’s Eid, sheep prices soared to 200,000 Algerian dinars ($1,496)—ten times the country’s minimum wage—forcing many Algerians to forgo the religious tradition. The government aims to prevent a similar crisis by securing sheep from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, and Spain, among other markets.

Algeria has previously imported smaller livestock quantities to support low-income families, but this year’s initiative marks an unprecedented intervention. The Ministries of Agriculture and Trade have been tasked with securing the supply to combat soaring inflation and ensure affordability.

Algeria's move follows Morocco’s King Mohammed VI’s recent announcement allowing citizens to skip the Eid sacrifice due to economic hardship, highlighting the growing financial strain across North Africa.

Tebboune’s intervention is part of broader government efforts to ease economic pressures while maintaining tight political control, as rising food prices have historically triggered unrest in the region.

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