Tunisian MP Proposes “Unified Bread” Law and a Food‑Sovereignty Fund
Marouan Zayen, member of the National Council of Regions and Districts, has tabled a draft law that would introduce a single‑price “unified bread” system and create a Food Sovereignty Fund. The aim is to streamline subsidies, curb waste, and redirect public resources toward vulnerable households and the agricultural sector.
Key Elements of the Proposal
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Popular referendum | To be held simultaneously with the next municipal elections. Voters will decide whether to abolish the current dual‑subsidy system (large‑format bread vs. smaller‑weight loaves) and replace it with a single national product – the “unified bread.” |
| Standardised product | • Weight: 300 g per loaf • Flour: 80 % extraction rate, richer in fibre and bran (instead of refined white flour) • Retail price: 250 millimes per loaf |
| Rationale | The existing subsidy scheme, originally meant to protect low‑income families, has allegedly become a tool for speculation, middle‑man enrichment, and even feeding livestock with subsidised bread. |
| Fiscal impact | • Annual cost of the bread subsidy: ≈ 900 million TND • Estimated waste: ≈ 900 000 loaves per day (≈ 320 million loaves per year, 113 000 t) → ≈ 100 million TND lost each year. |
| Production cost vs. selling price | Real cost of a “baguette‑type” loaf: > 430 millimes. Bakers are forced to sell at 190 millimes, squeezing their margins and prompting some to cut weight or quality. |
| Small‑change shortage | Because of a chronic lack of coins, many bakeries sell at 200 millimes instead of the legal 190 millimes. The extra 10 millimes per loaf translates into ≈ 10.8 billion millimes (≈ 10.8 million TND) of undeclared income annually. |
| Food Sovereignty Fund | Savings from subsidy rationalisation will not be used to plug the budget deficit. Instead, they will be injected into a dedicated fund to: • Support farmers • Build modern storage silos • Offer preferential loans to bakers for solar‑energy equipment and production‑line upgrades • Finance the “Citizen Card” – a smart voucher system giving low‑income families access to staple foods at reduced prices • Back youth‑led rural projects that convert organic waste (especially leftover bread) into high‑protein livestock feed, helping lower meat and dairy prices. |
Why the Reform Matters
- Economic efficiency – Aligning the subsidy with a single, nutritionally superior product eliminates price distortions and reduces the black‑market incentive created by the current dual‑price system.
- Social equity – A uniform price of 250 millimes ensures that all citizens, regardless of region, pay the same amount for a healthier loaf, while the Citizen Card targets the most vulnerable.
- Environmental gain – Reducing the daily discard of nearly a million loaves cuts food waste and creates feedstock for sustainable animal‑protein production.
- Agricultural resilience – The Food Sovereignty Fund will channel resources directly into modernising Tunisia’s farming and storage infrastructure, decreasing reliance on imports.
Source
For further context on Tunisia’s broader nutrition policies, see the Ministry of Health’s guidelines on healthy Ramadan eating:
Read also: “Ramadan – Healthy and Balanced Nutrition: Advice from the Ministry of Health”
Keywords: unified bread, food sovereignty fund, Tunisia subsidy reform, Marouan Zayen, bread waste, agricultural modernization, citizen card, healthy nutrition, Ramadan.
