Morocco Intensifies Olive Oil Quality Control in Béni Mellal-Khénifra Region

The competent services have been carrying out unannounced control missions in the region since the beginning of the season to ensure compliance with hygiene standards and the quality of olive oil sold on the market. Assisted by environmental police agents and the Royal Gendarmerie, ONSSA inspectors verify the validity of the health authorizations issued to olive oil production and packaging units, then take a sample of the marketed oils to assess their good quality.

ONSSA inspectors also inspect the production facilities to ensure compliance with hygiene rules during olive oil extraction in order to protect consumer health. In short, ONSSA ensures the conformity of the product, lot by lot, a method that will easily identify the origin of an oil that would present anomalies, explained Mohamed Nemmaoui, the regional director of the Office in the Béni-Mellal Khénifra region.

In a statement to MAP, the official added that during these control operations, the inspectors also verify the designation of the products, the date of durability, the name and address of the producer as well as his authorization number. He also urged consumers to buy olive oil in establishments approved by ONSSA. For Abdelkrim Naji, the president of the Al Karama association, these control operations, in addition to guaranteeing the quality of olive oil in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region, also protect the reputation of the product.

For this campaign, the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region hopes for a production of 96,000 tons, an increase of 18% compared to the 81,000 tons of the 2023 campaign, according to figures from the Regional Office for Agricultural Development of Tadla.