Arganöl - Marokkos weißes Gold (360° - GEO Reportage)

The argan tree, a thorny tree, grows only in southwest Morocco. Its fruits yield the coveted argan oil, which has been painstakingly produced by hand by the women of the region for centuries. Europeans are now also acquiring a taste for this unique treasure. And not only that: In addition to its culinary qualities, the oil can also be marketed as a cosmetic product and medicinal remedy. 360° - GEO Reportage looked over the shoulders of Moroccan women during the laborious oil production process and observed how they try to prepare their traditional treasure for international competition. A film by Roberto Lugones © 2008, Licensed by MedienKontor / ARTE Season 10 - Episode 14 Subscribe to wocomoTRAVEL: https://goo.gl/tIk2Qc Follow us on Facebook:   / wocomo   Press Release: Six o'clock in the morning in a small village in southwest Morocco. The men have already left for work. Arbia el Kasri also leaves the house to pursue her profession. Five years ago, it was unimaginable for a woman to find work outside the home. In this region of Morocco, female farmers never actually leave their douars, their small villages. But now, like Arbia, several hundred gather daily in small cooperatives founded by the women themselves. Here they produce argan oil – an art that Moroccan women have mastered for centuries. The oil is extremely nutritious and delicious. But only since gourmets and cosmetic companies in Europe discovered it and the price per liter has multiplied has the laborious production in the cooperative become worthwhile for locals like Arbia el Kasri. It takes up to three days and around 40 kilograms of fruit to produce one liter of argan oil. First, the women collect the roughly plum-sized fruits of the argan tree, which only grows here in southwest Morocco. After the fruits are dried, the kernels are freed of pulp and then cracked open with stones – their shells are eighteen times harder than hazelnuts. The seeds inside must then be roasted and ground until they finally release the precious oil. Business is booming for the women, as their oil is selling like hot cakes. Nevertheless, they are likely facing difficult times soon: The argan trees, which can live up to 250 years, are threatened by deforestation and by nomads whose goats graze the trees bare. In addition, with the interest of European consumers, Western companies are increasingly coming to the country, which can produce oil faster, cleaner, and more reliably thanks to modern machinery. Will Arbia el Kasri and her colleagues be able to withstand the competition?