Argan Oil - a Moroccan first for green labelling

PDO - Protected Designation of Origin - is a accredited green label for foods which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how. And the first product in Morocco to be awarded that label is argan oil.

Cosmetic argan oil (photo: Helen Ranger)

An action to label it as the first Moroccan PDO product is being carried out in order to protect argan oil from speculation. The cosmetic use of argan is spreading rapidly and there is a growing understanding of its use in cooking and salads by chefs around the world. Many consider it a more versatile product that truffle oil.

The agricultural sector in Morocco covers between 15 and 20% of national GDP; on the other hand, rural population represents 47% of the Country's population. Between 3 and 4 million people are directly involved in the sector, and some 100,000 people work in the food processing field.

Culinary argan oil - better than truffle oil.

An ambitious plan has been recently approved by the Moroccan government for the relaunch of agriculture that provides for an investment of 20 billion dirham (about 2 billion euros) from 2009 to 2013. The plan, called "Green Morocco", is supported by the public bank Crédit Agricole and is to finance about 1000 projects.

The Moroccan minister for Agriculture and Fishery Aziz Akhannouch recently explained that this investment plan lays on two pillars: on the one hand there are big producers, on the other hand small businesses. As for small businesses, investments are set in the direction of fair trade economy, that includes Slow Food's projects for Biodiversity as well.

Argan - a goat paradise

The argan

The argan is one nut that is literally hard to crack. It is ingested by goats, expelled, collected, cleaned and then the hard work begins. The nut requires steady pounding, usually done by hand, and it is employed to produce an oil prized for cosmetic, culinary and medicinal uses.

The work of harvesting the fruit and processing and selling the oil is largely carried out by women's cooperatives. During the 80s the argan tree was menaced by a constant and progressive deforestation, and the harvest almost stopped of its berries, from which the oil is derived.

In 1995 Zoubida Charrouf, professor of Chemistry at Science Faculty at Rabat's Mohammed V University, started working so as to develop argan oil's production, safeguard argan trees and improve Moroccan peasant women's condition.

The surface of argan forests in Morocco amount to some 830,000 ha. This area is under UNESCO's protection due to its role as a "bulwark" against desertification.

More information on argan oil in Morocco.

1400 hectares of argan to be planted
Argan oil from Morocco
Argan oil extravaganza in Fez
Moroccan argan oil faces cloudy future
Argan oil recipe
Moroccan Truffles.