Lead

With Eid al-Adha just days away, shoppers in Ivory Coast and Senegal are facing sharply higher sheep prices as supply disruptions in the Sahel region strain livestock markets. Insecurity in Mali and export restrictions imposed by neighboring countries have reduced the number of animals reaching traders, forcing buyers to pay significantly more than in previous years.

Coverage Comparison

In Ivory Coast's capital Abidjan, traders at the Adjame livestock market report that supply is significantly down on last year, with prices rising as demand remains strong for the festival. Local buyers trudged through muddy pens, hoping to find affordable animals, but traders said the usual flow of livestock from Burkina Faso and Mali has been disrupted.

Meanwhile, Senegal's livestock markets are also facing shortages, with traders pointing to insecurity in neighboring Mali as a key factor. A seller who recently returned from Mali told Africa News that jihadist blockades have made it impossible for vehicles to enter or leave, halting his usual trade route.

The two countries face similar pressures but from somewhat different causes: whereas Senegal's shortages are tied primarily to the security situation in Mali, Ivory Coast's supply has also been hit by export bans imposed by Burkina Faso and Niger.

Key Claims

  • In Senegal, sheep that previously sold for around 150,000 CFA francs are now being offered for about 250,000 CFA francs, according to buyers quoted by Africa News. Many households describe the jump as unaffordable.
  • Transporters say the cost of moving a single animal has climbed from around 2,500–2,750 CFA francs to between 15,000 and 18,000 CFA francs, reflecting the dangers and difficulties of the routes.
  • A jihadist blockade around Bamako has disrupted transport, livestock deliveries, and holiday travel ahead of Eid, with fighters linked to Al-Qaeda's Sahel branch targeting routes into the Malian capital since late April.
  • Ivory Coast depends heavily on imports, with around 75 percent of the sheep and cattle needed for Tabaski—the West African name for Eid—coming from countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali, amounting to roughly 350,000 animals.
  • Burkina Faso halted livestock exports earlier this month to protect its domestic market, following a similar move by Niger in March.
  • Some trucks continue to cross borders illegally, but tighter checks on the Burkinabe side are keeping numbers low.
Traders in Abidjan described the impact in personal terms. Assimi Barry, a seller of 40 years, said he has 300 head of cattle at the Burkina border that he cannot bring into Ivory Coast. Ibrahim Sow, another trader, said he has 150 animals blocked in Koutiala, Mali, all paid for and awaiting delivery.

In Senegal, the president of the National Council of the Senegalese Breeders' Association, Ismaila Sow, warned that if the disruptions continue, livestock production costs and meat prices could rise further, partly because animal feed is also becoming more expensive.

Locally bred sheep in both countries are known to be smaller than those from neighboring Sahelian countries, a factor that matters for families catering for a major religious celebration. With supplies tight, buyers and traders alike are feeling the strain.

In Senegal, buyers say the price rise has come earlier than usual this year. One buyer, Mamadou Mademba Seck, said that last year prices increased only at the last minute before Tabaski, but with less than two weeks to go, shortages are already being felt.