The report says that there is a relative abundance of supply amid varying price increases, speaking of increasing pressures resulting from rising costs of feed, transportation, energy, and veterinary care, in addition to the impact of regional tensions on import and shipping routes.
The report monitored “clear changes in buyers’ behavior, with a larger number of families turning to less expensive sacrifices, participating in a single sacrifice, or postponing the purchasing decision until the last days before Eid, in anticipation of lower prices or the introduction of new offers.”
In Egypt, sacrificial animal markets in Egypt are witnessing a noticeable rise in prices this season, driven by increased costs of fodder, energy, transportation, veterinary care, and labor, in addition to import disturbances from Sudan as a result of the ongoing war there.
Mohamed Salah, a sheep trader in Giza Governorate, says that feed prices have risen by more than 30% this year, especially soybeans and corn.
Salah, who has been working in the sheep trade for more than 12 years, adds that the increases are not limited to feed, but also include the prices of periodic vaccinations and veterinary medicines by about 15%, in addition to the doubling of daily workers’ wages, as the worker’s daily wage rose from 100 pounds ($1.88) last year to 200 pounds ($3.75) this season.
Veterinarian Mohamed Imad confirms that the prices of veterinary services and examination and follow-up fees have increased due to the increase in operating costs, noting that the prices of meat itself have increased by about 20%, as the price of a kilo reached about 470 pounds ($8.8) after it ranged between 380 pounds ($7.1) and 400 pounds ($7.5) about two months ago.
The Ministry of Agriculture had previously announced the release of more than 158,000 heads of calves, sheep, and camels, in addition to 165,000 tons of meat and its products, with the aim of increasing supply and controlling prices.
The Ministry also provided about 15,000 heads of what is known locally as “municipal sacrifices” at reduced prices, set at 190 pounds ($3.56) for a kilo of cows, 160 pounds ($3) for buffaloes, 220 pounds ($4.13) for sheep, 240 pounds ($4.5) for goats, and 200 pounds ($3.75) for camels.
Meanwhile, sacrificial markets in Jordan are witnessing an abundance of local and imported sheep, but prices are likely to rise by up to 10% compared to last year, according to official and professional estimates.
The Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture says that the rise in local meat prices is mainly due to the increase in the cost of feed, noting that it has taken measures to restrict the export of sheep to Gulf countries with the aim of preserving the abundance of the local market and controlling prices before Eid al-Adha.
For his part, the head of the Livestock Breeders Association, Zaal Al-Kawalit, says that the average price of a kilogram of local lamb is about 5.5 dinars ($7.75), which means that the price of a 50-kg lamb reaches about 275 dinars ($388).
Al-Kawalit adds that the cost of breeding has increased as a result of the increase in the prices of corn, soybeans, energy, veterinary care and labour, noting that the past years of drought have negatively affected pastures and the demand of breeders for raising sheep.
He confirms that the market does not suffer from a shortage of sacrificial animals, with the availability of local, Romanian, and Syrian sheep, noting that the high cost of shipping and insurance and the increase in global demand for Romanian sheep raised their prices, bringing the price of a kilogram of Romanian sheep to about 6 dinars ($8.46).
As for meat trader Samir Al-Masarwa, he confirms the existence of self-sufficiency and clear abundance in the local market, noting that prices have risen by about 10% compared to previous years.
Meat trader Nabil Abu Saqr says that the behavior of buyers has not changed much, except for a slight decline in demand, explaining that many families postpone purchases until the last days before Eid, believing that prices will decrease with the desire of merchants to sell their surplus sheep.
In turn, the head of the Jordanian Farmers Union, Mahmoud Al-Oran, believes that some of the increases are “unjustified,” suggesting that some “crisis traders” are behind the large increases witnessed by the market.
What about Lebanon?
For his part, livestock breeder Abdel Samih told Al Jazeera Net that the cost of raising sheep has risen significantly this season as a result of the large increase in feed prices, which now constitute more than 60% of the total cost, noting that the rise in the prices of fuel, electricity, and veterinary medicines has increased the operational burden, at a time when the rise in the price of gasoline, which reached about $0.91 per liter in March 2026, was reflected in the cost of transportation and distribution.
He points out that the consequences of the rise in fuel, shipping, and insurance were not limited to breeding only, but also affected the prices of sacrifices, especially with Lebanon’s reliance on imports to secure an essential part of livestock and fodder.
Also, any disturbance at crossings or land roads raises the cost of transportation and storage, and thus the final price for the consumer.
In the markets, there is a relative abundance of sacrificial animals this season due to continued imports in addition to local production, but prices remain high compared to purchasing power.
Youssef Abu Hamza, the owner of a butcher shop, told Al Jazeera Net that the price of a kilo of lamb is approximately $6, which raises the price of a 55-kilogram lamb to about $330, while some calves exceed the $2,000 barrier.
Also, livestock seller Hussein Al-Ali confirms to Al Jazeera Net that the rise in prices has prompted a wide segment of families to reduce the size of the sacrifice or resort to the option of sharing among more than one family.
He added that many customers content themselves with inquiring about prices without completing the purchase process, while others await the last days before Eid in the hope that prices will decline, at a time when the price of a sheep remains between $270 and $300, out of the reach of many families compared to their income level. (Al Jazeera Net)
