Latest reviewed evidence
The figures below combine Morocco's official sector context with the European Union's current legal food specification. Morocco's Agricultural Development Agency reports an argan area of about 830,000 hectares and average argan-oil production of 4,000 tonnes per year. Those are dated sector indicators, while the EU figures are product-composition and quality limits. Neither source certifies a seller, proves GI conformity, establishes current availability or provides a live delivered price.
Morocco argan area
830000
hectares, approximate · official sector baseline accessed 2026-09-13
Morocco average argan-oil production
4000
metric tonnes per year · official sector baseline accessed 2026-09-13
EU specification oleic-acid range
43
percent, lower bound; upper bound 50 percent · EU consolidated specification 2026-08-10
EU specification linoleic-acid range
29
percent, lower bound; upper bound 36 percent · EU consolidated specification 2026-08-10
EU specification oleic-acidity range
0.2
percent, lower bound; upper bound 1.5 percent · EU consolidated specification 2026-08-10
EU specification peroxide-value ceiling
10
milliequivalents oxygen per kilogram, less than · EU consolidated specification 2026-08-10
Edible, cosmetic, roasted and unroasted argan oils stay separate
A cosmetic ingredient record does not establish food admissibility, and an edible-oil specification does not substantiate a cosmetic performance claim. The EU food specification identifies cold-pressed kernel oil and permits kernel roasting before pressing without direct flame contact. Roasting changes sensory character and intended use, while refining, deodorization, blending and formulation create further product boundaries. Atlas retains intended use, kernel treatment, extraction and processing state before comparing lots.
Botanical identity and the Argane geographical indication need explicit evidence
The EU legal specification uses Argania spinosa, while Kew's current taxonomy treats Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels as a synonym of Sideroxylon spinosum. Morocco's OMPIC register records Argane as geographical indication number 001 for argan oil, registered 25 February 2010. Atlas preserves the legal or standard name used by each document, the current botanical synonym, declared origin, producer and lot traceability, certificate scope and chain of custody; neither a species name nor a Moroccan address alone proves GI conformity.
Composition, oxidation and authenticity belong to the tested lot
The EU specification gives composition ranges including 43–50 percent oleic acid, 29–36 percent linoleic acid, 0.3–2 percent unsaponifiable matter, 100–500 milligrams of total sterols per 100 grams, and 16–90 milligrams of total tocopherols per 100 grams. It also specifies 0.2–1.5 percent oleic acidity and peroxide value below 10 milliequivalents oxygen per kilogram. Atlas attaches the sample, laboratory, method and date to those results and keeps authenticity, contaminants, sensory condition and storage history explicit rather than inferring quality from packaging or reputation.
A sector average or composition range is not a delivered argan-oil price
The Moroccan agency's 830,000-hectare area and 4,000-tonne annual production average describe a sector baseline, not current inventory. The EU composition ranges define product characteristics, not value. A delivered physical estimate still needs a defined edible or cosmetic lot, roasted or unroasted state, current permitted observations, origin and GI evidence where claimed, extraction and quality results, production and expiry dates, pack and quantity, currency, Incoterm, destination, delivery window, freight and information vintage. Atlas withholds a physical estimate when those observations or usage rights are missing.