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The Moroccans recently celebrated the opening of a modern olive oil plantation and production facility, located in the area of Beni-Mellal. It appears to be a partnership between the Moroccans and the big Spanish olive oil company, Todolivo.
The location is near Marakech, on 600 hectares, and they've planted Koroneiki (a common olive in Greece), Arbequina and Arbosana olive tree varieties. The company is called Agro Health. And they hope to start selling gourmet quality olive oil later this year, according to a press released shipped over to ILoveOliveOilBlog.com.
What seems unique about this venture -- and please comment below if I'm wrong -- is that the Spanish have brought high-density farming practices to Morocco. The trees are planted tightly in hedgerows, making it much easier to mechanically harvest the olive fruit. The company is claiming a 20-minute time-lapse from harvest to crush, which is incredibly short (and perhaps a bit of an exaggeration?)
(UPDATE: A company official read this blog post earlier and informed me, in a follow-up email, that the 20-minute time-frame is NOT an exaggeration. The mill is in the center of the olive orchards, which are planted in neat rows -- see the picture the official sent along to me, which I updated to this post. He then invited me to come witness the harvest with my own eyes, in October. Indeed, that would be a dream come true, my friend! And lastly, a clarification: originally, I had reported SOS Cuetara as the Spanish partner -- it's really Todolivo -- though SOS Cuetara is financially connected to the effort.)
Overall, it seems to be a noble effort to ramp up olive oil production in a poor region. But it's probably also linked to a broad, international effort by the Spanish to diversify and expand their olive oil production sources. The Moroccans/Spanish hope to target Asian and U.S. markets with their oil.
For the full press release, hit the jump.
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Inauguration by his Majesty the King of Morocco of an olive grove with Spanish technology
On April 3rd 2008, Its Majesty King Mohammed VI carried out the inauguration of a mechanized plantation of olive-trees (directed by GPS) of Spanish varieties (Arbequina and Arbossana) and Greek variety (Koroneiki) pertaining to the Company AGRO HEALTH and located in the Moroccan area of Beni-Mellal.
This plantation was designed and led technically by the Spanish Company of Cordoue TODOLIVO which forms part of S.O.S CUETARA Group. AGRO HEALTH is aiming to produce as from November 2008 "gourmet" Extra Vrigin olive oils of very high quality intended for export markets (Asia, USA) starting from its own orchards of olive-trees on 600 Hectares located at the foot of the Atlas at the cities of El-Borouj, Marrakech and FkihBenSalah.
Each Farm of olive-trees in hedge (high density) will be integrated by a modern crushing mill allowing a very short time (20 minutes) between harvest and crushing in order to obtain an extra virgin, fruity olive oil with a very low acidity (maximum 0,2°).
AGRO HEALTH was founded by the Aqallal Family which, from father to son since 4 generations, is known for her engagement for the development and the perfection of agriculture, and for an ancient olivegrowing tradition narrowly attached to the soil, having for result an oil which maintained all its original and true savor.
AGRO HEALTH is the fruit of a technology transfer from the North towards the south of the
Mediterranean aiming at a sustainable development by the creation of stable jobs in poor areas of Morocco (such as ElBorouj, FkihBenSalah) where the populations are accustomed to immigrating in Europe (Spain and Italy). While taking part to fix the Moroccan rural populations in their areas of origin, the objective is to export "oils of prestige" rather than men...
- economy of water: the use of the latest technologies of drip irrigation, the mixture in the ground of a rock coming from a volcano of Latin America playing the role of a sponge for the retention of water, and the construction of some basins for water accumulation of which the 1st basin entirely covered of Morocco having a volume of 46' 000 m3 (to avoid evaporation).
- the fight against the erosion of the soil and the desertification by the plantation of vast olive
groves in rocky and semi-desert zones traditionally known for the cultivation of cereals with poor yield.
- Offering assistance to the Moroccan farmers by placing at their disposal this Spanish technology in order to try to modernize and raise the level of olive sector in Morocco.
The inauguration by his Majesty King Mohammed VI of this integrated olive-growing company shows all the attention of the Moroccan King for the olive sector, with a particular interest to the North-South exchanges like the Moroccan-Spanish relations.
For more informations : www.agro-health.com
Attached Documents: Photos of the inauguration by His Majesty King MOHAMMED VI
Photos AGRO HEALTH olive groves.
Contact : AGRO HEALTH
Mr Othmane AQALLAL, Director
110 Bd Yacoub El Mansour - 20100 - Casablanca MOROCCO
Tel : +212 22 981123 à 26 Fax: +212 22 981127
email: siege@agro-health.com
www.agro-health.com
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