The ripe fruits are picked between June and August, when they fall to the ground. They are then left to dry in the sun for several weeks. Traditionally, extracting argan oil, a long and arduous task, is the responsibility of Berber women.
The fruit must be crushed to separate the pulp from the pit, then the kernels contained within are removed. For food use, the kernels are roasted to give the oil a golden color and a stronger flavor.
In cosmetics, there is no roasting. Then the almonds are ground, and the resulting paste is kneaded for a long time, then pressed to extract the oil it contains. Finally, the oil is decanted to remove any residue.
To obtain 20 liters of oil, you need 40 kg of kernels from 800 kg of fruit, harvested from 1 hectare of argan grove, or... 7 trees for 1 liter of oil! It's understandable that this oil is precious.