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  • How is shea nut oil made?
  • You can make the oil right away or you can store it. To make the oil, the dried nuts are cracked, roasted and milled. Water is added to draw out the shea butter which is then boiled to evaporate out the water. The oil turns clear leaving a bit of the sediment at the bottom. The oil is definitely floral.
  • How profitable is the shea butter business in Nigeria?
  • The results showed an average weekly gross margin of $62,237.78. However, considering the imputed cost of Shea nuts (gathered wild), the actual gross margin could be much higher at $66,665, resulting in a return on investment exceeding 58%.
  • How long does it take for a shea butter tree to grow?
  • Its growth is very slow and seedlings take 2- 3 years to reach field planting. The juvenile stage of shea tree lasts very long, 15- 20 years, hence the difficulty in its domestication. Flowering starts at about the age of 20 years and production reaches maturity at the age of 40- 50 years.
  • What is the difference between shea butter and shea nut oil?
  • Shea oil is fractionated from Shea butter; to produce Shea oil, Shea butter is melted, and the oleic oil is removed from the solid parts. The oleic oil is lower in stearic fatty acid content which is what gives shea butter its solid characteristics.