Argan, Morocco’s Under-estimated Asset
Argan is an unknown tree to most people abroad, for it grows only in the South Western part of Morocco; experiments have been conducted though to see if it can be planted in the north of the kingdom, or in any other region in the world.
This tree is a real survivor, a ‘giver of life’, as it’s called. It can live from 150 to 200 years. The argan tree survives heat and is perfectly adapted to the aridity of the South Western regions of Morocco. Its roots grow deep in search of water and thus help retain the soil, preventing erosion and limiting the advance of the desert.
Argan tree plays a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance and the economic situation of the population. In 1999, UNESCO added the argan tree to the World Heritage List.
The argan tree produces green fruits - which look like oversized round olives - smell sweet but taste horrible. These contain an extremely hard nut with small oil-rich seeds, which represent about one quarter of the flesh fruit weight.
For centuries, Berber women of this region have produced argan oil which was used for their consumption and traditional Moroccan medicine, as well as in cosmetics. So basically, every family makes argan oil for their own consumption.
Argan’s Process of Production
The production of this oil is a demanding and laborious process which was until recently completely realized by hand. The manual method consists in first of collecting the pit of the fruit. The pit’s hard shell is then cracked to collect the kernels. These are roasted by mild heating and then cooled. Later the kernels are hand-mixed with a small amount of water to form a dough. It is from this dough that the oil can be extracted by hand.
Recently mechanical presses have been introduced to extract argan oil. Once the kernels are roasted, the mechanical press takes care of the grinding and extraction. More oil is extracted and since no water is added to press the dough, the oil can be stocked longer. The most consuming time of the process - cracking the nuts - is still done by hand.
The argan oil is slightly darker than olive oil and has a nutty flavour.
Goats sometimes help to harvest the seeds. Kept out of the forests until the fruit is ripe, they brave the thorns and climb the trees, eating the fruits’ unpalatable flesh. The discarded nuts are then cracked by hand between two stones to get out the oil.
The nutshells are burned as a fuel. And the argan’s wood - known as ‘Moroccan ironwood’ - is prized and used in inlaid boxes.
The oil is very nutritious and - even more important - rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants. It is believed to lower cholesterol levels, stimulate circulation and boost the immune system - and has also traditionally been used as a treatment for skin diseases. Long used locally for dipping bread and as a salad dressing, it is now becoming a fashionable food in Europe and North America. The cosmetics industry is also becoming increasingly interested in it.