Morocco Is Testing A New, More Effective Method Of Cork Collecting

The next time you pop the cork in a bottle of wine, consider the process involved. The architectural and fashion industries also employ the bark tissue, not just for wine.

Morocco, a country that generates approximately 6% of the world’s natural cork, is changing its harvesting practices from using an axe to a more intelligent and effective one.

A new lightweight, battery-operated saw that measures the depth of the cork bark is being introduced by the industry.

According to Abderrahim Houmy, director general of the National Agency for Water and Forests, this approach is not only more effective at removing the bark but also lessens harm to the trees.

“Increasing the cork harvest is the second goal. We may obtain large-size boards and steer clear of little fragments with little market worth because of this technique.

According to Houmy, the new technology will also assist the business in adjusting to the shorter and more varied harvesting season brought on by climate change.

The Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region is currently conducting a pilot program to train cork technicians, with the goal of implementing the new technique throughout Morocco by 2025.

The industry has seen an unparalleled period of stagnation due to a two-year period of unrelenting drought, according to the Moroccan Association of Cork Industrialists.