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  • Where do Shea nuts come from?
  • Production of shea nuts in some selected countries from 2001-2012 (Source: FAOSTAT, 2013). The shea tree is a multipurpose tree crop indigenous to Sub Saharan African. The tree is highly cherished for the oil that is extracted from its kernels and used nationally and internationally in cosmetics, pharmaceutics and in chocolate formulations.
  • How many shea trees are there in Africa?
  • Nearly 2 billion shea trees grow naturally on parklands in 21 African countries stretching from Senegal to South Sudan, while 16 million women living in rural communities individually collect fresh shea fruits and kernel for processing. Shea offers technical and health benefits as cooking oil and food/cosmetic ingredients.
  • Which country produces the most shea nut?
  • ... of the po- tentials of shea nut indicate that major producing countries are found in West Africa. Available data from FAOSTAT (2013), shows that Nigeria has the highest potential of shea nut pro- duction.
  • How is shea butter made in Africa?
  • The shea tree is considered the second most important oil crop in Africa after the oil palm tree . Following de-pulping (for consumption or conservation), the dried shea kernels are processed into shea butter through grinding, roasting, milling, churning, washing, and heating (Figures 2 and 3) . ... ...
  • What is a shea tree?
  • The fruit produced by the shea tree is a unique crop, the cultivation of which requires no fertilizers or pesticides. Growing in parklands and agroforestry systems in an area known as the shea belt, which stretches across western Africa, the shea tree is an important source of income for the communities that live in this area.
  • What is a shea butter tree?
  • The shea butter tree, known scientifically as Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertner, is a deciduous tree indigenous mainly to West Africa and parts of Eastern Africa, especially Uganda. It is an underdeveloped oilseed species, only second to oil palm in importance in Sub-Sahara Africa .