More Argan oil. It starts off as a spiky tree getting climbed on by goats in the desert, then it gets processed by the women at the co-op and turned into soap and shampoo and cooking oil and shingle for the car park (bottom left). Read the wording on the info poster if you can be bothered, it's quite funny.
by hannahgrrrl
Showing posts with label argan oil cooperative. Show all posts
Showing posts with label argan oil cooperative. Show all posts
How Argan Oil is Made in Morocco - Video Directly From Argan Oil Cooperative Morocco
How Argan Oil is Made in Morocco - Video directly from Argan oil cooperative in Morocco
Mechanisation Pushes Argan Oil Profits For Morocco
A Moroccan university professor’s interest in the
economic preservation of the declining Argan tree has resulted in women
harvesting the tree’s valuable oil increasing their income by more than
ten times.
The Argan tree is an ancient species that formerly spanned most of
North Africa, but due to over-harvesting for timber and livestock
grazing has seen its range limited to southwestern Morocco. The trees
produce nuts, which in turn contain almond-shaped pods which, when
crushed and processed, yield oil that is valued for its taste and flavor across Morocco. This rare Argan oil is used in couscous, salads
and for dipping breads. Rich in vitamin E, phenols and caratenes, it is
also used to treat skin conditions and has recently found favor in the
cosmetics industry.
”At the time [the project started], we were losing more than 600
hectares of Argan forest each year,” says Charrouf. “But we also wanted
to convert this ecological problem into an economic opportunity. I
knocked at several doors, but no one believed in my project. Now Argan
oil is known around the world.” The economic opportunity that Charrouf
uncovered for Moroccan women is now being supported with grants from the
Moroccan government and the European Union.“Being part of the cooperative freed me from tedious domestic work in people’s homes,” said one member of the Taitmatine cooperative. “Now I’m learning to read and write and I’ve learned how to ensure the quality of the Argan kernels. The cooperative has made me more independent. I’ve been able to visit other cooperatives in other provinces. I’ve seen how girls and women like me have been able to shape their own destiny and move ahead to develop their cooperatives.”
Liquid Gold Argan Oil - Ingredient Spotlight
Earlier this year we splurged on a bottle of Moroccan argan oil, and it
sits in our pantry like a bottle of liquid gold, used sparingly and
savored deeply. At first we were merely curious about the intensely
nutty flavor of this oil, which we had associated with cosmetics more
than cuisine. As we learned more, we were captivated by the details of
its history and production involving rare trees, goats, and the Berber
women's cooperative movement.. read more at thekitchn.com
Argan Oil - Hollywood Stars Liquid Gold
“Berber women began cultivating Argan oil pre-modern times, for its healing properties, employing it for a variety of uses from cooking, to topical treatment of skin diseases, to cosmetic uses in the protection of the hair and skin against the harsh, dry, climate of the Moroccan desert. In the 1500’s, the legend of the miraculous Argan Tree and it’s precious oil began to reach Europe, with demand for the exotic oil reaching its historical height in 1867 when it debuted at the International Fair in Paris.” – cosmetic company
“Stars will be flashing “liquid gold” on the red carpet like never before. While it has recently seen its popularity increase, Argan oil from Morocco has been a secret among the Hollywood “A-list” for many years. “Essence of Argan” will be exclusively providing selected stars with their product before they arrive on red carpets at movie premiers for this years Toronto International Film Festival.” – PR release
I really like Argan oil. It tastes just great on bread for breakfast. It’s not bad on vegetables, and wonderful on fish. I don’t usually rub it on my face or in my hair. However, my mother swears by it. In fact we buy some each month down in the souq. In the past I would buy half a litre but recently the price went up again so now I buy a smaller bottle for about 180 dirhams ($22.00). I blame the “Hollywood A-list” of course. If they continue “flashing” this liquid gold, then my mother and I will be unable to afford it.
We certainly couldn’t afford the prices some of these products sell for. It seems incredible, but 15 mil of pure Argan Oil on sale for $35 works out at $2300 a litre. Of course there are all those expenses, freight, packaging, advertising and so on, but it is a long way from the $300 per litre that the export quality local product sells for. It may be “liquid gold”, but it’s not the local women at the end of the rainbow.
The Argan oil industry is now big business and the cosmetic companies are playing hardball, even going so far as to attempt to discredit rivals -”Aside from the mix of Argan oil that can be found within the product, Moroccanoil products also include silicone and other fillers “. Then there are all those ways to make the product more powerful. Truthfully, who is going to buy simple Argan oil, when you can get…
Oh, and for the record, I believe that the “Superfruit Indian Amla Oil” is Indian gooseberry. Whatever. It might taste nice on bread. To be honest, I really don’t care how much the cosmetic companies can screw out of the pampered rich, as long as the hard working Moroccan women get paid a decent amount and the Argan forests are protected.
Over recent years, the women’s co-operatives have been at the forefront of the Argan oil boom that began in the 1990s. However, recently, the men are moving in and there is a growing problem with diluted oil, bogus co-operatives and a lack of accreditation. To make the situation even worse, there are negastive impacts on the actual Argan forests themselves. Local people are calling for action
And the price? Moroccan Hair Oil, $50 for 100ml. In the USA we came across 50 ml for 369.90 MAD which works out at 7398 MAD a litre… someone is making a lot of money.The argan tree (Argania spinosa) is endemic to Morocco, where it is second in coverage only to the cork oak tree and is ecologically indispensable. Its deep roots are the most important stabilizing element in the arid ecosystem, providing the final barrier against the encroaching deserts. Despite its uniqueness and indispensability, the argan tree faces a variety of serious threats.
Nearly half of the argan forest disappeared during the 20th century – and average density in the remaining half dropped from 100 to less than 30 trees per hectare. This historical pressure on the forest was driven by demand for high quality charcoal (especially important during the world wars) and, more recently, to conversion to agricultural production of export crops such as tomatoes.
While neither of these pressures emanated from locals in the argan forest, the important contemporary forest threats do. Particularly important among these threats are local intensification of livestock browsing and grazing and encroaching suburban and rural settlements – driven in part by recent European demand for rural real estate near popular tourist destinations such as Essaouira.Back in 2006, The View from Fez reported about the large scale replanting but it is a long and slowq process. The tree resists domestication and remains extremely difficult to transplant or establish on any meaningful scale outside Morocco. In recognition of its ecological value and local economic importance, the argan forest region was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1998.
The man who appears to be most up to date on situation is Travis Lybbert, an associate professor in the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. According to Travis, the booming demand for Morocco’s argan oil, now the most expensive edible oil in the world, is providing economic and social benefits for rural communities but appears to be threatening the health and future of the native argan forests in southwestern Morocco
“Our research indicates that while the argan oil boom seems to have benefited locals and improved educational opportunities, especially for girls, it has not improved the forests and may actually have led to their degradation,” says Travis Lybbert.
Argan oil, derived from the seeds of the deciduous argan tree fruit, has been an important resource for Morocco’s Berber people for centuries. The oil came to the attention of the outside world in the 1990s and is now highly sought for culinary, cosmetic and medicinal purposes, pushing the price today to roughly $300 per litre
As demand for argan oil has grown since the beginning of the boom around 1999, many people have looked to the argan oil market as a “win-win” way to reduce rural poverty and lessen the environmental threat to the argan forests. Lybbert and his colleagues have been investigating those claims during the past decade, concluding in part that among the households in the argan-growing region, those with access to argan fruit benefited economically and were more likely to send their girls to secondary school.
The researchers saw similar benefits of the argan trade across villages and communes or collections of villages. We conclude that the argan boom has benefited some rural households. Encouragingly, households that stood to benefit from the boom in 1999 increased their weekly consumption spending at souk (market) and goat herd size more than households that did not stand to benefit. These households were also significantly more likely to send their girls to secondary school in subsequent years.
However, the researchers also found evidence of negative effects. For example, as households benefited economically, they often purchased more goats – the primary threat at this time to the argan forests, because the goats climb the trees to graze their leaves. Households also appear to be resorting to more aggressive fruit harvesting techniques, which can damage branches and dislodge buds for the next year’s production. To complement this household-level analysis, the researchers used satellite imagery from 1981 to 2009 to see the impact of the argan oil boom, finding evidence that rapid appreciation of argan oil prices had not helped the argan forests and may even have sped their degradationThe researchers argue that policies and programs that aim for “win-win” benefits to both local households and local biodiversity must be based on empirical evidence and informed by the complex interactions between people and nature, which are often shaped by social norms, institutions and markets.
Along with Lybbert, the research team included Abdellah Aboudrare, a researcher at the École Nationale d’Agriculture in Morocco; researcher Deborah Chaloud and statistician Maliha Nash, both with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Las Vegas; and Nicholas Magnan, a postdoctoral fellow with the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, D.C.
Boom in Moroccan argan oil boosts rural economy but threatens forests
The booming demand for Morocco’s argan oil, now the most expensive edible oil in the world, is providing economic and social benefits for rural communities but appears to be threatening the health and future of the native argan forests in southwestern Morocco, reports a team of researchers led by a University of California, Davis, economist.The researchers reported their findings online this week in the early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“Our research indicates that while the argan oil boom seems to have benefited locals and improved educational opportunities, especially for girls, it has not improved the forests and may actually have led to their degradation,” said Travis Lybbert, an associate professor in the UC Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Argan oil, derived from the seeds of the deciduous argan tree fruit, has been an important resource for Morocco’s Berber people for centuries. The oil came to the attention of the outside world in the 1990s and is now highly sought for culinary, cosmetic and medicinal purposes, pushing the price today to roughly $300 per liter. (One liter equals slightly more than one-fourth gallon.)As demand for argan oil has grown since the beginning of the boom around 1999, many people have looked to the argan oil market as a “win-win” way to reduce rural poverty and lessen the environmental threat to the argan forests.
Lybbert and his colleagues have been investigating those claims during the past decade, concluding in part that among the households in the argan-growing region, those with access to argan fruit benefited economically and were more likely to send their girls to secondary school. The researchers saw similar benefits of the argan trade across villages and communes or collections of villages.
However, the researchers also found evidence of negative effects. For example, as households benefited economically, they often purchased more goats – the primary threat at this time to the argan forests, because the goats climb the trees to graze their leaves. Households also appear to be resorting to more aggressive fruit harvesting techniques, which can damage branches and dislodge buds for the next year’s production.To complement this household-level analysis, the researchers used satellite imagery from 1981 to 2009 to see the impact of the argan oil boom, finding evidence that rapid appreciation of argan oil prices had not helped the argan forests and may even have sped their degradation.
The researchers argue that policies and programs that aim for “win-win” benefits to both local households and local biodiversity must be based on empirical evidence and informed by the complex interactions between people and nature, which are often shaped by social norms, institutions and markets.
The study was funded by the University of California. In addition to Lybbert, the research team included Abdellah Aboudrare, a researcher at the École Nationale d’Agriculture in Morocco; researcher Deborah Chaloud and statistician Maliha Nash, both with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Las Vegas; and Nicholas Magnan, a postdoctoral fellow with the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, D.C.
The Origin Land of Argan Tree - Morocco
The Moroccan Atlantic coast between Essaouira and Agadir contains a small natural treasure that are found nowhere else: the Argan Tree. Its shaft, the argan spinosa, Moroccan women extract an edible oil, soft and nutty, and a cosmetic oil used in biological medicine.
Argan oil is becoming the new oil trend. It is used more often in the trendy restaurants and its medicinal properties now recognized blew the sales of cosmetic products.
Argan spinosa: a tree with amazing properties
Argan, Argan spinosa is an endemic tree in Morocco found overall between Essaouira and Sidi Ifni, mainly in the plain and the Sub Region Haha on a surface of about 900 000 hectares.
It an amazing tree is used for firewood, fodder for goats as well as food and cosmetics. The argan tree is resistant to heat large even when the soil is poor. It is a natural bulwark against desertification.
Biosphere Reserve of the argan tree approved by UNESCO was created in December 1998 to preserve the biological resources and cultural landscape values and maintain the balance of the ecosystem while promoting local economic development.
Argan oil is used in salads, tagines, couscous and to enliven the meal. It is also used in the preparation of the amlou dish served to guests (a mixture of argan oil, crushed almonds and honey) that would have aphrodisiac properties. The oil is very thin nutty, rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
For many dates, argan oil is also used by the Berbers for treatment. He is given virtues to reduce cholesterol. It is also used under the skin and hair to fight against dryness and aging. The foliage is used for its anti-inflammatory drugs, to treat rheumatism, joint pain and earaches.
On the way to the Argan
Traditionally, the Moroccan women are reaping the fallen fruit in spring and dry them.They take the soft pulp and then crush the almonds of the Argan tree between two stones. After the crushing, sorting is done first so that there are no impurities with the almonds. They are then lightly roasted (for cooking oil) before being pressed - then out comes a paste, which is then kneaded with a little water to obtain oil and meal. In the case of cosmetic argan oil, the almonds are roasted and the oil goes through a filtering process that makes it more pure and more refined at the molecular level. It takes 100 kg of fruit to 1.5 liters of oil.
Between Essaouira and Agadir, the argan forests are numerous and walk among the trees and a real pleasure. Feel free to stop in a village, meeting people. With a little luck, a Berber family invites you to go home. A sign of hospitality, you will probably tea and Argan oil along with some bread. Maybe you can taste the amlou?In poor families, it happens that the almonds are replaced by peanuts and honey for sugar.
On the way, the cooperative biological posters abound. The essence of the argan tree, however, is threatened by overexploitation of its resources. Overgrazing, excessive collection of fruits, lower the water table and devastate the argan tree felling. All co-ops have a different sense of ethics. To address this, the project was created Arganier with the aim of increasing the participation of rural women in the socio-economic fabric of the region while promoting sustainable management of the argan tree.
You can also visit the following addresses:
The Union of Cooperatives of Women of the argan tree (UCFA) includes 22 women's cooperatives between Essaouira and Agadir Tiznit in the south. 1000 women join the UCFA in the five provinces arganerie: Essaouira, Agadir, Tiznit, Taroudant and Chtouka Aït Baha. The products are certified by Ecocert. More information:
www.cooperation-argane.com .
Address : 7 Rue Al Khansa – Cité Dakhla – Agadir, Morocco
Tel : +212 5 28 23 52 79
E-mail : contact@cooperative-argane.com
Targanine is a group of women's cooperatives for production and commercialization of argan oil. Six cooperatives involving 240 women join. The products are certified by Ecocert. More information: www.targanine.com .
What's Argan Oil?
What's Argan oil?
Argan oil comes from the argan tree (Argania Spinosa), an endemic tree in southwestern Morocco. Used locally for centuries, nowadays argan oil is attracting increasing interest from outside of Morocco, thanks to both its cosmetic and dietary properties.
Ancestral method of argan oil extraction
Once ripe, argan fruits are typically collected by women and brought to village where they are broken down the traditional way between two stones, (left shells are usually used to feed needed fire).
After getting rid of the shells, the almonds are then closely crushed along with some water in a handmade mill called Azerg. Then the obtained dough is kneaded repeatedly and pressed by hands to extract argan oil. The residue is conserved and used to feed own livestock. Using this traditional way, it takes more than 10 hours to produce just one liter of argan oil.
Argan almonds are gently roasted before being crushed yielding an oil used in daily kitchen recipes. For cosmetic purposes, we should use argan oil that comes from the not roasted almonds.
The production of Argan oil has always been a merely matter of those Moroccan local families. But recent exploitations of argan fruit has taken it to an even more crafty, let alone industrial level because of the publicity that has been made on the virtues of argan oil. Local women's cooperatives have joined forces to produce more of this miraculous oil the traditional way.
A part of argan oil production is intended for export to Europe, Canada and the United States, which reinforces the local socio-economical role of this magically precious oil. Some of argan oil production is meant for high level cosmetic usage after further processing in laboratories.
A summary of Argan oil benefits
- For centuries, Argan oil has been used locally for therapeutic, cookware and cosmetic purposes, today the whole world is appreciating this oil.
- Argan oil is highly rich in essential fatty acids oleic and lineoic acids (47%) as well as in vitamin E (60-90mg/1OOg) , which positively boost our skin regenerating capabilities.
- It repairs and protects the skin against droughts and external aggressions, preventing its premature aging thanks to its essential fatty acids.
- Argan oil vitamin E richness, gives its antioxidant qualities
- It protects muscles from degeneration associated with aging.
- It can be used both for internal and external purposes.
- some argan oil internal usages: Massage, for rheumatism, against hair loss, to eliminate dandruff, against acne, burns, wrinkles, to protect against skin drying.
- some argan oil internal usages: positive effect against cholesterol and atherosclerosis.
- some argan oil culinary usage: in dressings, its aroma couples very well with crudites.
- Its nutty after-taste enhances so many dishes: whether with fish or goat's cheese, with puréed sweet potatoes or a salad of carrots and oranges.
- A simple argan oil drizzle will enliven your soups, cooked dishes and even desserts.
- It adds a touch of nut and sesame, bringing an oriental flavor to your cooking,
- It enhances the prostaglandins synthesis. Argan oil contains no cholesterol, which makes it very suitable in the context of any cholesterol-free diet.
- It protects the cardiovascular system.
- For a cosmetic use, it softens the skin, revitalizes the tired and wrinkled parts by rehydrating and giving the skin its lost youthful elasticity.
- Argan oil is also highly effective as a relief middle in cases of burns, scars and the like.
- Argan oil has a strengthening effect for nails and hair.
- Argan oil is widely used in the local recipes as well as in traditional medicine as a treatment of skin diseases such as acne and chickenpox (varicella).
- Currently, it is used as a medicinal product and active ingredient in many cosmetics and increasingly used by international and famous beauty specialists.
Argan oil constitutes an important source of lipidic fat. It's estimated that argan oil production is between 3,000 and 4,000 tons, that is 1.6 percent of total Morocco oil consumption.You would appreciate knowing that to produce just one liter of argan oil you need, in good years, no less than eight argan trees. A long day of labor is needed to get such precious liter of oil : argan fruits drying, pulping, getting rid of argan nuts shells one by one and by hand, crushing and grinding roasted almonds the traditional way and finally hand-persing and extracting this legendary oil. Added to argan fruit scarcity, comes the difficulty of production. (see argan oil production steps in photos).
Enjoy this majestic Moroccan oil !
GEI Targanine Argan Oil Products Review
Argan oil cooperatives short story:
Intrigued by ancient local claims of the Argan oil's health and nutritional properties, Zoubida Charrouf, a chemistry professor at University Mohammed V in Morocco capital, Rabat, decided to conduct chemical research on the oil in the early 1990s. What she found corresponds with the local traditional wisdom : the substance highly rich with vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids that can lower cholesterol, reduce wrinkles and juvenile acne, and speed healing of abrasions.
Charrouf's findings renewed interest in the argan tree, as did the decision by UNESCO in the late 1990s that declared the endangered argan forest area a biosphere reserve. Conservationists, development agencies and entrepreneurs all sought ways to protect the tree and encourage the local economy growth.
In the beginning, things didn't go quite as planned. Local women couldn't deliver a high-end product; their homemade oil was often packaged in leftover plastic bottles and sold on the side of the road or in local souqs (traditional markets), or marketplaces.
Charrouf decided to found cooperatives to tackle the problems head on and start employing women who had discovered argan oil's benefits to begin with. 
The ooperatives now employ approximately 800 women full and part-time, many of them poor, widowed or divorced. The majority of the women work at cracking the stones; for that, they are paid an average of $100 a month and receive a share in the cooperatives' profits. To ensure the quality of the product, Charrouf replaced much of the traditional extraction methods with a mechanized process that extended the oil's shelf life from six months to two years. Women still crack the stones, because no machine can match their dexterity. On the conservation front, each of Charrouf's workers plants 10 new argan trees a year. Most significantly, as the region's economic growth is increasingly tied to the argan, villagers have become much more reluctant to let their goats graze in the trees. In addition, the Amal cooperative in Tamanar received the International Slow Food Award for biodiversity in 2001. Drawn by increasing press coverage, 100 tourists descend upon the Amal cooperative each day, buying edible oil and cosmetics products. In response to increases demand Charrouf recently grouped the cooperatives under one umbrella organization in order to standardize their operation and accounting systems and to expand their bargaining power. This organization is called GEI TARGANINE and it has been created since October 2003. GEI TARGANINE also helps these cooperatives to get in international quality system.
In light of the cooperatives' success, it's hard to believe that Charrouf ever faced any resistance. But at the beginning, men scoffed at the notion that she could realize her plans and that the women were capable of running co-op. But as the men saw the economic benefit of the cooperatives, they began encouraging this project. Rather than tearing the fabric of community apart, the cooperatives created jobs and removed the need of urban migration. Besides offering women jobs paying them a decent wage, Charrouf offers classes in reading and arithmetic. That impacts their children well, because once they realize the issue of education, women are more likely to send their kids to school.
GEI TARGANINE product line, for natural beauty and health
ARGANIUM : a natural beauty serum
- Moisturising and nourishing: with Arganium, a beauty serum made of 100% argan oil, it offers your skin a new vitality and complete beauty care. While regenerating, argan oil is well known for its moisturising, nourishing and protective effect on the skin.
- Regenerating and activating: argan oil is frequently used in traditional medicine in order to heal scars ( e.g. such as those caused by acne ) or to soothe rheumatic pain.
- Diminishing wrinkles : rich in essential fatty acids, argan oil re-vitalizes the skin and activates the cell's vital functions, thus diminishing wrinkles. Furthermore it protects the skin from external aggressions such as the sun while neutralising free radicals.
is thus free from well known hazelnut odour which is noticeable in the edible oil.
ARGANATI : 100% pure argan oil (Certified as organic product)
ARGANATI is exclusively made out of argan almonds. It is produced with ancestral know-how of Berbers women which is transmitted from generation and with modern means in order to fit
international norms. 30 kg of fruits and more than 15 hours of work are required for the production of one liter of argan oil.
- Reduction of cholesterol level : thanks to its high concentration inessential fatty acids ( linoleic acid : 34% ) and its high percentage in unsaturated fatty acids ( 80% ), natural argan oil reduces cholesterol levels and prevents atherosclerosis. It is recommended to all those who wish to lead a balanced and healthy life. ARGANATI is delicious in salad sauce and will give a special taste to your vegetables, fishes and cooked meals.
AMLOU BELDI: a tasty spread
Amlou Beldi is a tasty spread made out of almonds, honey and argan oil. It is renowned for its aphrodisiac virtues and its deliciousness on toast for breakfast.
GEI Argan oil Production Process
1. The Argan fruits are mature ( around June ), they are dried.
2. Dried flesh is removed though a machine
3. The resulting nuts are manually crushed between two stones by women in order to
obtain an intact almond
4. These almonds are then slightly roasted for culinary oil only ( Arganati )
- Temperature : 100°C for roasting machine
- 30 kg of almonds need 2 hours for roasting
- Although raw material is heated through roasting and extracting process, the peroxides value are definitely under international norms as mentioned in the here enclosed chemical specifications
5. The almonds are then pressed through a special oil press to give argan oil (the equipment is manufactured in Germany )
- Argan oil is made of kernel of argan seeds without any additives.
- It is 100% pure natural products
6. The oil is then decanted into bottle and finally filtered in a special oil filter
This Argan oil is got solely by using kernels of Argan seeds. The oil doesn't contain any additives. All GEI TARGANINE products are certified by ECOCERT as organic ones.
How argan oil is produced
Argan oil is produced from the fruits of the Argan tree which grows nowhere in the world except in southwestern Morocco. It is believed to date back 25,000,000 years and to have once covered N. Africa wild in semi-desert soil, its deep root system helping to protect against soil erosion.
It was first reported by the explorer Leo Africanus in 1510. Now only 860,000 hectares remain in S.W. Morocco and these are declining at a rate of 50,000h per year. Measures are being put in place to protect this rare and endangered species and in 1999 the argan was listed as a UNESCO Biosphere Heritage.
Originally uploaded by Julie70
Originally uploaded by dianjo
The most labour intensive part of oil-extraction is removal of the soft pulp (used as animal feed) and the cracking by hand, between two stones, of the hard nut. The seeds are then removed and gently roasted.
Originally uploaded by carolynalicedaly
This roasting accounts for part of the oil's distinctive, nutty flavour. The traditional technique for oil extraction is to grind the roasted seeds to paste, with a little water, in a stone rotary quern. The paste is then squeezed between hands to extract the oil.
Originally uploaded by Aceduline
Dry-pressing is now increasingly important for oil produced for sale, as the oil will keep 12-18 months and extraction is much faster.
Originally uploaded by easyondeuxize
Goats like the pulp of argan fruits and often try to climb the trees to get at them. They will digest the pulp, but shed the undigested seeds in their feces.
As these have shells that are somewhat softened and easier to crack, they are occasionally used to produce oil for non-culinary purposes. An urban legend has it that all argan oil is produced this way. This myth seems to be based on the fact that occasionally, shrewd traders would have sold (and may still try to sell) such "non-food grade" argan oil to ignorant travellers or tourists.
Originally uploaded by Maria McCann!
The fact that the nuts acquire a foul aroma in passing through the animal's digestive tract makes it easy to tell this oil apart from food-grade produce with its rich, walnut oil-like flavor.
Argan oil trees
These beautifully twisted trees dot the hills and valleys of much of southern Morocco. People here have been producing an oil for eating and as a skin cream for generations and only recently has it become a high end export (see the photo later of women grinding for more of the story on argan oil). The tree itself is a work of art and they can get fairly large. I could do a whole project just taking portraits of these trees with their distinctive personalities.
by With A Jacket For My Pillow: the journeys of Mike
Argan Trees in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco
by euanpreston
These goats love the fruit from the Argan Tree.
by Robbie's Photo Art
Goats climbing argan tree
The inner nuts of the fruits of the argan tree can be pressed to make oil that can be used in cooking or cosmetics. This process is possible even if the nuts have been through the digestive systems of climbing goats like these.
Morocco, March 2007
by s_st
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