Argan Oil in Agadir & Morocco: What It Is and Where to Buy

Argan oil is one of Morocco’s most famous products — and the Agadir region is its home. The argan tree grows almost exclusively in the Souss-Massa area around Agadir and Essaouira, which is why a trip here is one of the best places in the world to learn about it and buy the real thing.

What is argan oil?

Argan oil is pressed from the kernels of the argan tree’s fruit. It comes in two forms:

• Culinary argan oil — lightly roasted, nutty, used for dipping bread, drizzling and in amlou (a local almond-argan-honey spread).
• Cosmetic argan oil — unroasted, prized for skin and hair care.

The women’s cooperatives

Much of the region’s argan oil is produced by women’s cooperatives, where you can often see the traditional hand-cracking and pressing process and buy directly. Many sit along the roads between Agadir, Taghazout and Essaouira, and visiting one is a popular half-day activity.

How to buy genuine argan oil

• Buy from a reputable cooperative or established shop rather than roadside stalls with no provenance.
• Culinary oil should smell nutty; cosmetic oil should be near-odourless — be wary of heavily perfumed "argan" products.
• Check it’s 100% argan oil, not a blend, if that matters to you.

Where to shop in Agadir

You’ll find argan products in Agadir’s markets and shops as well as at cooperatives out of town — browse shopping & markets in Agadir. If you’re heading up the coast to Taghazout, you’ll pass argan country on the way.

Make a day of it

Combine a cooperative visit with other things to do in Agadir, and check the best time to visit before you plan.