"It's hard work, it requires experience and a lot of patience" explains Samira Chari, 42, who works in the Marjana cooperative, a few kilometres from Essaouira, and which produces up to 1,000 litres of argan oil each year. Along with tourism, this activity is the main source of income for the inhabitants of Essaouira. This know-how was also included in the intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2014.
However, this activity suffers from a lack of interest from Moroccan youth, which prefers selling the oil rather than making it.
Yet, this "liquid gold" with its moisturising and anti-ageing benefits is in increasing demand. According to official statistics, the kingdom produced more than 5,600 tons of argan oil in 2020, of which 2,350 were exported. The sector's turnover tripled between 2012 and 2019 to reach around 108 million euros, according to the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture.
Read the full article on L'Orient-le-Jour.
Photo: copyrights Fadel Senna / Agence France Presse.