Ministerial Decree Establishes Mandatory Fees to Regulate and Develop Morocco's Olive Sector

The olive sector in Morocco has entered a new phase of professional regulation following an official decree issued by the Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water, and Forests. The decree mandates the publication and implementation of an industry-wide agreement establishing a compulsory financial contribution to benefit the Moroccan Interprofessional Olive Olive Association (Interprolive). This regulation applies comprehensively to all stakeholders involved in olive production, processing, and by-product management.

Published in the Official Gazette, the decree officially enforces the agreement under the framework of Law No. 03.12 concerning interprofessional organizations for agriculture and fisheries. Consequently, the financial terms are now legally binding for all industry professionals, including olive growers, olive mill operators, canning facilities, and olive pomace processing units.

The agreement—signed by the National Federation of Olive Producers, the Federation of Olive Oil Milling and Marketing, and the Federation of Agricultural Products Canning Industries—aims to establish a sustainable funding mechanism for Interprolive. This financial backing is intended to empower the association to carry out its responsibilities in organizing, upgrading, and developing the olive value chain, while enhancing collaboration and communication among all market participants.

Under the newly enforced agreement, the annual financial contributions are scaled based on the size of agricultural operations, land area, or the processing capacity of industrial units as follows:

• Agricultural Estates: Cultivators managing estates of 20 hectares or more are subject to the mandate. A fee of 1,000 MAD is set for estates between 20 and less than 100 hectares; 2,000 MAD for estates between 100 and less than 500 hectares; and 5,000 MAD annually for large-scale estates exceeding 500 hectares.
• Olive Oil Mills: Annual contributions range from 1,000 MAD for small mills with a daily processing capacity of under 20 tons, up to 10,000 MAD for large industrial mills with a capacity reaching or exceeding 100 tons per day.
• Table Olive Canning and Pomace Processing Units: A fee of 5,000 MAD is mandated for table olive canning facilities with an annual production under 5,000 tons, rising to 10,000 MAD for facilities exceeding that volume. Olive pomace processing units are also subject to a flat fee of 10,000 MAD.

Furthermore, the agreement explicitly requires all processing and milling units to be fully licensed and medically certified by the National Office for Food Safety (ONSSA), ensuring strict compliance with health, safety, and regulatory standards within the Moroccan industry.

Regarding the collection timeline, the agreement designates June 30 of each year as the final deadline for paying the due contributions. In the event of non-compliance or delayed payment, the interprofessional association will grant a 14-day grace period to the concerned parties, commencing immediately after a formal warning notice is issued to settle their financial dues.

Source: Alyaoum24 Newspaper

‍