Guelmim hosts huge camel market

(26 Apr 2016) LEAD IN Moroccan breeders and sellers come to the camel market in Guelmim, the biggest in the country, to trade the animals. Camels are a huge part of life here with their meat and milk in demand from locals and visitors. STORY-LINE: The market is bustling with its prime commodity: camels. Guelmim has been a strategic outpost for the caravans which crossed the Sahara desert since the 19th century. Camels are the traditional method of transport in the desert and this city is the epicentre for camel trade in the region. "This market is known globally and it's one of the biggest camels' markets in the world. People come from Mauritania, Senegal, Mali," says Chmourek Mohamed, one of the many camel seller at the market. That's exactly why Guelmim became the biggest camel market in Morocco and one of the biggest in Africa. It starts at dawn every Saturday and these days attracts more than the usual crowd of breeders, buyers and sellers. It's a firm fixture on the Moroccan tourist route. It's also a rare opportunity to see the Tuareg, the 'blue men of the desert', with their traditional indigo-coloured scarves and clothes. They visit Guelmim to trade their camels and to buy supplies for life in the desert. Seller Salek Daoud says that everyone comes to the market with purpose, from traders to butchers looking for camel meat. French tourist Florence Bonnie says that she's been coming to Morocco for 10 years, but it's the first time she has visited the "beautiful market". Camel meat is a delicacy for locals and visitors, together with the milk that these animals provide. Local breeder Maa Liinine Atrach milks his camels in the dark. Some are bound with a rope to prevent them from feeding their calves and so produce more of the delicious liquid. Lahssan Taharou owns the Dar Dyafa Oued Noune restaurant, which specialises in the traditional Moroccan tagine served with camel meat. "Camel meat is one of the best red meats, it contains many benefits because camels eat a large variety of herbs in the Sahara," Taharou explains. He combines the unique cuisine with a daily show of Moroccan traditional music and folklore. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/5cfb4f240055f17a17e290a986c7c5de

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