Moroccan government grants full tax exemption for imports of beef, lamb from Brazil

In an official announcement, the Government of Morocco has granted Brazil a quota to export 20,000 tonnes of beef, sheep, goat, and camelid meat with full exemption from Value Added Tax (VAT) on imports. This decision, formalized in a letter from Morocco’s Ministries of Economy and Finance, Agriculture, and Industry and Commerce, is part of a strategy to boost the local agricultural sector and ensure a stable food supply.

This VAT exemption followed an official Brazilian mission led in April by Julio Ramos, Deputy Secretary of Trade and International Relations at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa). The delegation, supported by the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, advanced in negotiations on market access and Moroccan import tariffs—currently set at 200% for frozen beef and 100% for fresh chicken. The mission was also attended by the Brazilian ambassador to Morocco, Alexandre Parola, and agricultural attaché Ellen Laurindo.

According to Moroccan authorities, the VAT exemption on the 20,000-ton quota for meat and offal aims to improve the accessibility of Brazilian products in Morocco and strengthen bilateral trade relations. This agreement is seen as crucial to balancing the local food supply and providing more affordable prices to Moroccan consumers.

In addition to the meat quota, the regulation allows for the VAT-exempt import of up to 120,000 head of cattle and 100,000 sheep, further facilitating agricultural trade between the two nations. However, the parafiscal tax will still apply to importers.

Morocco is one of 60 countries that have opened their markets to Brazilian agricultural products over the last 22 months. In 2023, it was Brazil’s fourth-largest export destination in Africa, with bilateral trade reaching USD 2.65 billion. Brazilian exports to Morocco alone totaled USD 1.23 billion.

“This measure underscores the growing diplomatic and commercial ties between our countries and is part of our broader efforts to boost Brazil’s agricultural exports. Under Minister Carlos Fávaro’s leadership, we are committed to ensuring Brazil’s competitiveness in key global markets, including Morocco,” said Julio Ramos, Deputy Secretary of Trade and International Relations at Mapa.

The chart below builds on data extracted from Datamar’s DataLiner to explore Brazil’s meat exports (beef, lamb, poultry, and pork) to Morocco between January 2021 and August 2024.

Meat Exports to Morocco | Jan 2021 – Aug 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

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