WILD WOOD GROVES has built and equipped its own argan oil production workshop in the heart of the Argan region in Morocco. Our aims are that the local Berber women, who traditionally make this oil, benefit from good wages and working conditions, whilst the strictest quality control and traceability is maintained.
“Providing a fair income for the local community who are producing the oil encourages the protection of the tree and gives hope that future generations will be able to support themselves from their unique heritage”
Argan oil is time consuming and laborious to produce. The fruit is gathered by hand from the ground in the late summer. Most argan trees grow wild on common land, however local families have traditional gathering rights, their areas being delineated by small piles of stones. The fruit is stripped from the hard nuts which are individually cracked between heavy stones, each one yielding a small seed similar to an apricot kernel. For the food oil these seeds are lightly toasted and then pressed to release their precious oil. In all two days work is needed to produce a single litre. Argan skin care oil is made from raw cold-pressed seeds. This gives a far lower yield as a large amount of seed pulp has to be filtered out.
The Argan tree grows only in S.W. Morocco. It is believed to date back 25,000,000 years and to have once covered N. Africa. Now endangered, it is protected by UNESCO as a Biosphere heritage. The Argan grows wild in semi-desert soil, its deep root system helping to protect against soil erosion and the northern advance of the Sahara. It plays an essential ecological function in that it protects the soil against heavy rain and wind induced erosion. It maintains its own eco-system, the leafy canopy providing shade and moisture.
Argania spinosa – The Argan Tree
Argan trees can have a single trunk, or a number of twisted, thickened stems and can grow up to a height of 10 metres. Deep roots reach down to the water table, whilst another superficial root system mops up any rainfall. Surviving on a minimal amount of rainfall, they become dormant during periods of drought. It takes many years to yield fruit, the most being after 50–60 years of growth. The fact that they can survive for 200–250 years, makes the Argan Groves a valuable inheritance for future generations.
Ethical Trading from the ground up
Wild Wood Groves is committed to ethical trading in its oil production and contributing to the conservation of this rare species. Historically argan wood, known as Moroccan iron wood, was used in buildings as joists and to make ploughs. Its bark was used medicinally by herbalists to treat digestive problems. This is now forbidden, though as much dead wood as can be carried by an individual or a donkey may be used as charcoal. We believe that providing a fair income for making argan oil in the region where the trees grow ensures a unique heritage for future generations.
Read more in my book entitled “Argan the Sacred Grove” available as an ebook on Amazon for £3
‘This book is about the discovery of Argan oil, its properties, unique history and the work being done to preserve the habitat of the Argan tree which provides this extraordinary elixir and staple of the Berbers.”
Review – Argan oil has almost magical properties for health and beauty and this little book describes it fully showing that science also backs up its claims. Also described is how the oil is now produced by women in cooperatives thus improving their lives making them economically sufficient. I live in Morocco so found the book both an accurate and a warm description of this wonderful thorny tree and the only land where the tree grows.
