Process Plants for Argan, Citrus, Tomato and Aromatics in Morocco

Morocco has both an Atlantic and a Mediterranean coast, with coastal plains along the coastline, the Atlas mountain ranges inland and a dry south-east where irrigation is necessary. The argan tree is an endemic woodland species of the south-west, where rural women use traditional methods to extract argan oil from the fruit, and the oil has uses in cooking, medicines and cosmetics. Argan processing runs from fruit collection and drying through pulping and nut breaking to the kernels, which are roasted for culinary oil or left raw for cosmetic oil, then cold-pressed, settled and filtered. A mechanised line for kernel roasting, pressing and filtration is relevant to groups that want steadier throughput than hand methods give.

Citrus is among the irrigated crops grown around Agadir, tomatoes are among the major greenhouse crops, and most exported tomatoes come from the Souss-Massa region. Citrus fruit that does not meet fresh-market grading can go to juice extraction and concentration, and tomatoes suit concentration into paste or drying into powder. These are discussed here as raw materials for the mapped plants; processors with a citrus or tomato supply can send details so that a proposal is scoped to their fruit and volumes.

Wild rosemary is exploited for essential oil in the eastern region near Oujda, and rosemary, thyme and other aromatic or medicinal herbs can be dried, steam-distilled or extracted for botanical ingredients. Typical users of the equipment include argan producer groups, juice and preserve makers, essential oil producers and botanical ingredient houses supplying food, fragrance and personal-care customers.