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Why Targanine products are chosen?
Establishment of Targanine production cooperatives and birth of high-quality argan oil
Professor Charrouf, specializing in organic chemistry and the study of medicinal plants at the Science Faculty, Rabat University in Morocco, developed a cold press system that could produce high-quality argan oil, paving the way for this traditional oil to expand from the household use among the Berber people to marketing in advanced countries.
Amal de Tamanar Cooperative, the first argan oil cooperative in Morocco
Introducing this production system, she established Targanine production cooperatives with the mission of operating argan oil production by Berber women for Berber women.
The argan oil produced by Targanine production cooperatives, resulting from the handwork of experienced women and the use of the cold press system, is high-quality ultra-virgin argan oil that can keep for a long time.
The activities of Targanine production cooperatives do not stop at producing high-quality argan oil, but extend to the effort to improve the social status of Berber women. Part of the profit from argan oil is used for vocational and literacy education of women and also for argan tree planting campaigns to fight desertification.
Activities of the Targanine cooperatives
(Argan oil production, tree planting, improvement of women’s status, further development)
Argan trees and fruits
By shedding leaves to minimize water evaporation and biological activities under dry conditions, argan trees can survive draughts that may last for months or sometimes years. These trees with strong vitality can put forth buds immediately after the first rain. Harvesting of argan fruits is allowed only during a limited period in summer. It is illegal to collect fruits that are still on the trees.
Scenes of fruit crushing
Fruits and kernels
Argan fruits are processed to obtain cores (kernels), from which oil is extracted. This process requires much experience, and cannot be easily replaced with machines.
Hard fruits are crushed one by one by handwork, and kernels are recovered.
Oil expression
Traditional processes of pressing in a mortal and hand squeezing are liable to contamination with germs and water, leading to deterioration of oil. The improved oil expression process using a press machine ensures stable production of high-quality oil, as it does not involve the possibility of foreign matter contamination or exposure to heat.
Literacy education and tree planting
The profit from the activities of Targanine cooperatives is used for the improvement of the social status of local women and the protection of the global environment through expansion of argan forests.