Morocco intensifies food safety enforcement on flour mills as subsidy controversy escalates
The operations followed extensive inspections and sampling campaigns across markets and sales points, with 577 samples tested this year alone.
MOROCCO – The National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA), Morocco’s primary authority for ensuring the sanitary integrity of food products, has intensified its regulatory actions against non-compliant flour mills.
In a statement released on October 30, ONSSA disclosed that it had seized and destroyed 33 tons of flour deemed unfit for human consumption as of September 2025, while referring 60 cases to judicial authorities for further investigation.
This development occurs against the backdrop of a heated political debate over the nation’s wheat subsidy program, which has drawn scrutiny for potential mismanagement and fraud.
ONSSA’s operations stem from comprehensive inspections and sampling initiatives conducted across markets, mills, and retail outlets nationwide.
To date in 2025, the agency has analyzed 577 samples to assess compliance with health and safety standards.
As a result of these efforts, nine health licenses have been revoked and four others suspended from mills found violating national hygiene regulations.
By comparison, in 2024, ONSSA seized 38 tons of unfit flour and referred 89 cases for prosecution following the testing of 710 samples.
The agency has certified 191 mills across the country that meet stringent criteria for production, labeling, and distribution. These certified facilities undergo regular oversight, with 212 inspections performed between 2024 and 2025.
ONSSA’s annual national monitoring program includes systematic testing for contaminants such as aflatoxin, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone, alongside evaluations of mineral content, moisture levels, acidity, iron, and protein composition to ensure product quality.
Political controversy intensifies sector pressure
The announcement arrives amid escalating political tensions surrounding Morocco’s wheat subsidy system, which allocates approximately MAD 16 billion (US$1.73 billion) annually to stabilize flour prices and support domestic consumption.
This program, designed to offset fluctuations in global wheat prices and ensure affordability, has been extended through December 31, 2025, in response to ongoing challenges such as drought and import dependencies.
Recent government decisions for the 2025-2026 season outline specific conditions for purchasing soft wheat destined for subsidized flour, differentiating between national and special varieties with defined extraction rates to maintain quality.
The controversy intensified following remarks by Member of Parliament Ahmed Touizi, leader of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) parliamentary group, during a recent debate on wheat subsidies.
Touizi’s allegations, which gained widespread attention after going viral, claimed that certain companies were “grinding paper and presenting it as subsidized flour,” raising questions about the allocation and oversight of public funds.
In response, Morocco’s Public Prosecutor’s Office in Rabat initiated a judicial investigation into these claims, highlighting concerns over potential fraud in the milling industry.
The National Federation of Mills swiftly denounced Touizi’s statements as “false and unfounded,” asserting that they lack empirical evidence and jeopardize the sector’s reputation.
Federation President Abdelkader Alaoui emphasized the industry’s vital contribution to national food security and called for evidence-based discourse.
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