argan: golden tree
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| argan tree near agadir |
Here, near this famous and rare tree i
was born. In south of morocco, exactly in sidi ifni. I grew up playing in its
shadow in 80’s of last century. In my childhood that tree means nothing for us
but its delicious oil, big shadows and squirrels live in its trunk.
Now, we knew that we were playing under rarest tree in the world. Trees we can not
find anywhere else. Belongs to argania
spinosa family ; lives
up to 200 years and can give us fruits 2 times in the same year. 30 years ago
we could buy littre of argan oil in 2.5 dollars but now it costs 20 dollars in
my home town and more than that in other places.
We can find argan tree in both roads from either
marrakech or essaouira to agadir until south of guelmim, this region called
souss and in agadir city , exactly in SOUK ELHAD, we can buy argan
oil and also see directly how women transform the fruit to oil.
In past time, we use argan for only eating oil and using it
as source of firewood. Now laboratories especially german found out many other
uses of argan oil. They found out that this oil contains : 44% Oleic acid,
30% Alpha-linolenic acid, 12% Palmitic acid , 6% Stearidonic acid, 5%
Linoleic acid and 3% Myristic acid. That is why a lot of cosmetics companies in
EUROPE are more and more interested What makes this oil very expensive.
Forests of argan trees are protected now by moroccan authorities and designated
as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. They do their best
to make people understand they have a treasure and a rare tree we should
protect and be proud of. All cosmetics companies calls argan oil as « gold that
grows on trees ».
If you are interested to view argan trees and forests, you go directly visit
agadir or essaouira and also region of AIT BAAMRAN near tiznit city ;
there you can find small weekly markets and a lot of associations of argan oil.
In 80’s years of last century, my grand mother could give me 5 liters of argan oil but now she gives me only one
litre a year when i visit her in summer. And when i go to agadir , i buy
small bottles which i use to my hair.