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Argan, a Moroccan monopoly, an Israeli defeat

Anouar Diden

This Monday, Morocco celebrated the first international day of the argan tree. The country is the leading producer of argan. However, an Israeli company seeks to undermine this monopoly, by all means.

The Cherifian kingdom is the largest producer of argan in the world, followed by far by Mexico, Tunisia and Algeria. The manufacture of argan oil is a know-how registered in the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Unesco. Morocco and the UN have therefore celebrated the international day of the argan tree. The country produces up to 5000 tonnes of argan oil, of which 1200 are exported annually. The sector employs more than 25 people directly in Morocco.

However, in 2014, the Zionist entity launched a project to massively plant argan trees. It was an attempt to regain market share in Morocco. Israel has tried to develop a technique for cloning trees. The argan tree is, in fact, capricious. The tree does not produce its seeds until at least 12 years old. However, Morocco already has 53 million producing trees, while Israel has only 26 that are not yet fertile. In order to make up for the impossibility of catching up, an Israeli company, Siva, buys argan trees en masse from Moroccan farmers.

Israeli failures in the reproduction of argan

It seems that no attempt by the Zionist entity has succeeded in speeding up the production of argans nuts. Israel's “Argan 100” program was supposed to provide high production one-third of the time needed. Nevertheless, the culture of argan is an ancestral Amazigh secret, transmitted in families. Argan growers and manufacturers of argan oil have been trained in it from a young age. The attempt to clone a production rivaling that of Morocco had therefore failed.

On the Moroccan side, it's not just about production methods, but also about a phenomenal culture in terms of numbers. Morocco has 53 million mature argan trees planted on its territory. In the short and medium term, no one can compete with this. In addition, the Moroccan climate which combines the ease of irrigation with an alternation of drought and humidity helps a lot to make this crop thrive.

So the Zionist entity, in desperation, started buying mature argan trees and planting them in Naqab, in the occupied Palestinian south. The project, led by the Israeli company Sivan, does not seem to be bearing fruit. Genetic modifications made to the tree to accustom it to the wetter Middle Eastern climate did not help, thousands of argan trees wither and die.

Nevertheless, since a trade agreement signed between Morocco and Israel in December 2020, Sivan has increased the volume of its purchases. But given the refusal of Moroccan producers to share the secret of growing nuts and producing oil, the same problem persists for Sivan.

A miraculous tree

Argan oil is the first African agricultural product to benefit from the geographical indication by the European Commission. In addition, it is registered as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Unesco. No product in Africa has this double protection, for a reason.

The argan tree is one of the trees which still gives rise to manual fertilization. It also requires special attention during the first years of growth. The result, however, is astonishing. The oil produced from the seeds is extremely beneficial.

The food variant of argan oil is very useful for brain cells, blood circulation and liver regeneration. This type of oil lowers cholesterol in the blood at an incredible rate. The oil has also been used for centuries for cosmetic purposes. It has hydrating, antioxidant properties and is rich in nutrients. It is one of the products most naturally endowed with vitamin E and omega-6. Argan oil has miraculous effects on the skin, it improves elasticity and helps prevent skin aging.

However, it is a mystery that the argan tree only grows and thrives in North African land. As it stands, Morocco will keep its monopoly on argan for decades. And despite deforestation for commercial purposes, the Moroccan state is replanting argan crops at high speed. For 48 argan trees purchased by Sivan in 000, Morocco has replanted more than 2020. The tree is a treasure that should be fiercely guarded and jealously protected. Its exploitation is not within everyone's reach, like all Amazigh secrets, something that the Zionist entity struggles to understand.

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