Listing food industries

New decision urges foodstuff factories to obtain registration number from Ministry of Agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry issued a joint decision regulating the procedures for registering local factories that manufacture food products.

The decision stipulates that any foodstuff factory wanting to merchandise its products, whether to the domestic or export market, should file an application to the Ministry of Agriculture. A copy of the application should be submitted to the Ministry of Industry.

A joint team of the two ministries would then inspect the factory to ensure its compliance with the national food safety standards (set by LIBNOR), in accordance with the Good Manufacturing Procedures (GMP). If the factory proved to be operating upon the required specifications, the Ministry of Agriculture would provide it with a registration number. The number allows the factory to trade its products locally and abroad. This number would be communicated to the Syndicate of Food Industries.

The listed factories would undergo regular inspection so as to ensure their sustained commitment to the standards upon which they were initially granted the approval to operate.
The decision will come into effect in January 2012.