Two Years After Announcement, Initiative to Produce Subsidized Bread Richer in Fiber Remains Stalled
Two years after the announcement of a program aimed at producing subsidized bread richer in fiber, the initiative has remained stagnant. Although the project is based on the idea of manufacturing subsidized bread with better nutritional quality without changing its price, by increasing the extraction rate of flour from soft wheat to preserve its benefits, the Ministries of Trade and Agriculture have yet to implement it. To date, the reasons for this blockage remain unknown.
Understanding the Issues
To understand the challenges, it is essential to distinguish between the two types of cereals used. As explained by agricultural expert Aniss Ben Rayana, hard wheat, mostly produced locally, is intended for the production of semolina and pasta. On the other hand, soft wheat, essentially imported, is used to produce two types of flour based on their extraction rate: PS flour for the manufacture of subsidized bread (baguette and large bread) and PS-7 flour for the production of special bread and pastry products.
Technical Classification and Usage
This technical classification determines the final use of the product. An extraction rate of 78% allows for the production of PS flour, used by category A and C bakeries to make subsidized large bread (400g) and baguettes (220g). A more refined extraction rate of 71% is used for the production of PS-7 pastry flour, strictly reserved for special bread and cakes.
Importation of Soft Wheat
"In 2025, we imported 11.073 million quintals of soft wheat, worth 914 million dinars, representing a regression of 21.9% compared to the previous year," added Aniss Ben Rayana during his intervention on Express FM.
Price Disparity and Fraud
The crux of the problem is economic. For an identical 100 kg bag, the price difference is notable: while the bag intended for the production of subsidized large bread (400g) made by category A bakeries is sold for 6 dinars, the same bag of flour is sold to category C bakeries that produce subsidized baguettes (220g) for 22 dinars. This dual pricing, combined with the visual similarity between the two flours, has created a fertile ground for diversion and fraudulent practices by bakeries that supply themselves from other bakeries to obtain bags of subsidized soft wheat flour at a lower cost.
Annual Losses
Thus, used for unregulated commercial purposes, the illicit and diverted use of subsidized flour costs the state and the community around 250 million dinars in losses each year.
Urgent Need for Law Revision
According to Aniss Ben Rayana, the implementation of the new program has become imperative. By increasing the extraction rate from 78% to 85%, Tunisia would produce subsidized bread that is not only more nutritious and richer in fiber but also has a better flavor and longer shelf life, thereby limiting waste. Beyond the nutritional interest, this change would also allow for better control, as flour with an 85% extraction rate has a distinct coloration, enabling inspectors to instantly detect any presence of subsidized flour in pastry bakeries producing special bread and cakes.
Revision of the 1979 Decree
However, the completion of this project remains dependent on the revision of the August 21, 1979, decree, a fifty-year-old text that has become anachronistic in the face of economic and health imperatives.
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