L'olivier au Maroc

Abstract

The olive tree is a traditional culture on the shores of the Mediterranean. It is, therefore, natural to find this tree in Morocco, where it has been present for centuries. Traditionally cultivated especially to his later years, he now been a very ambitious plan for development not only keep the kingdom to its current level (second largest producer of olive cans and sixth for olive oil) but to conquer new markets globally and take advantage of the enthusiasm knows this oil recognized for its benefits. The "Maroc Vert" national plan allows, through substantial subsidies, not only to renew the existing orchards with traditional picholine variety of Morocco but also planting new varieties super-intensive in order to industrialize the most of new orchards. The same is true for the processing of olives into oil of good quality with the introduction of modern crushing units that must eventually replace the multitude of "maâsra" and thus reduce the environmental impact of the margines. Olive will be more in the future as represented by its oil and edible forms, but its extraction residue is recovered either as fuel developed for the pomace, or as a basis for green chemistry in by-products of refining. Other applications are currently under review for Morocco to understand, as all other major producing countries, the olive was a new source of wealth. © 2014 I. El Mouhtadi et al., published by EDP Sciences.