Morocco taps benefits of Barbary fig oil

Barbary fig oil, celebrated as an effective anti-ageing skin potion, is following argan oil as a great new cosmetic export from Morocco.

But the tiny amount of oil extracted from each cactus fruit makes Barbary fig oil the most expensive on the market, about €1,000 a litre.

Beyond its cosmetic virtues, the UN is urging Morocco to develop the cactus plant in a country where 80 per cent of farming is carried out in arid or semi-arid regions.

The push to develop Barbary fig, a cactus fruit well-adapted to extreme weather conditions, comes with a belief that several revenue streams could stem from it.