MOROCCO: Country targets trade in rare oil from Argan tree

Record ID: 343550

  • Title: MOROCCO: Country targets trade in rare oil from Argan tree
  • Date: 11th August 2011
  • Summary: SPA CATALOGUE
  • Embargoed: 26th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Morocco, Morocco
  • Country: Morocco
  • Topics: Health,People,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVAB3MSM9XXIB5NU8QIT3U9SABUC
  • Story Text: A tree in Morocco has become known for producing oil that competes with the nutritional, medicinal and cosmetic qualities of olive oil.
    The argan tree grows in harsh environments, withstanding heat, drought and poor soil. In Morocco the tree predominantly grows between Essaouira and Agadir -- an area covering 700,000-800,000 hectares - south-west of the country.
    With its unique, thorny structure, the tree has become a much sought after commodity for the oil which is extracted from the tree's seeds. Locals have dubbed the oil "liquid gold".
    There are about 21 million argan trees in Morocco, which play a vital role in the food chain for wild animals and cattle. On a drive between cities one can spot the unusual scene of goats clambering along a tree's twisted branches, trying to reach the peak and take a bite of its fruit.
    Some locals charge visitors a small fee for taking photos of such scenes on their land.
    Argan oil sells locally for ten times the price of olive oil. But experts say the industry needs modernisation and attention from local government to become truly lucrative for the local community.
    Argan production remains a small, labour-intensive industry, and many believe if the oil became more widely known and better marketed abroad, and if production became more streamlined, it could provide more employment in the region and bring in hard currency.
    "Argan oil sector employs a substantial number of women who provide for many families that benefit economically and socially from this activity. I would like to take this opportunity to launch an appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture, the argan agency and the High Commission for Water, Forests and Decertification Control to give more attention to this sector because it needs it," said Khadija Benaiss, the Chairperson of Amanar co-operative.
    Her co-operative is one of many that employ local women to do the manual labour required to produce oil from the argan seed.
    Crouched on the ground, they work with traditional tools to separate the inner heart of the seed from the outer core and then grind them to produce a think paste from which the oil is extracted.
    Producing one litre of oil could take up to 20 hours of work.
    Argan oil is slightly darker than olive oil. It can be used for cooking and is claimed to have various medicinal properties, such as lowering cholesterol levels, stimulating circulation and strengthening the body's natural defences.
    Locals mix the oil into a thick chocolate-coloured paste called "amlou" which is sweetened and served as a dip for bread at breakfast.
    Rich in vitamin E, phenols and phenol acid, carotene and Omega 6 fatty acids, it is also used in cosmetic and medicinal treatments.
    Local business woman Nadia Raham has capitalised on the oil's qualities.
    In her Chajarat al-Baraka co-operative in Essaouira, not only does she sell argan related products, but she treats her clients with a mask made of argan mixed with other natural ingredients that she would not reveal.
    "Argan is known from old times but in recent years it has become more widely used as a cosmetic product to the point where I managed in my own co-operative to create a natural mask made of argan oil and other natural products that I will not reveal. What distinguishes this oil from others is that it's 100 percent natural and also it does not have any side effects on health," Raham said.
    Not far from Essaouira is "Spa Argan". The spa recently opened in Agadir, at a tourist resort popular with visitors from the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe.
    "In recent years, we discovered argan oil has many benefits for the body. We also noticed our customers are asking for it more and more. It is an important oil for the body and we use it particularly for massaging," said Meryem Fadi, manager of "Spa Argan".
    The roots of the argan tree grow deep in search of water, helping bind the soil and prevent erosion. The trees once covered North Africa but are now an endangered species under the protection of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
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