We process Uganda shea nuts by simply de-husking them. This involves the cutting out of the outer fruit, which leaves a few seeds inside. We then transfer these to wire-mesh in the sun for drying. This ensures there is proper removal of impure particles. The nuts can either undergo roasting or are packed raw.
How is a shea nut stored?
After a few days of sun-drying (and protection from the rain) and removal of the shell, the shea kernel inside is sun-dried for another 4 or 5 days, then stored in traditional granaries (or, for NUSPA’s certified organic production system, in food-grade jute bags).
Who harvests shea fruit?
Across Africa, women traditionally harvest shea fruit (an important nutritional resource in and of itself, as it ripens and falls from the tree during the annual ‘hungry season’ when food stocks are lowest and agricultural requirements are highest, in clearing land and planting crops with the coming of the rains).
How does shea oil benefit women?
Shea oil nourishes the family and provides an important nutritional buffer in times of drought and famine. Women’s income from shea products covers various household expenses, including children’s school fees, clothing, salt, soap, and taxes.
What is a Shea Butter Tree?
The Shea Butter Tree, scientifically known as Vitellaria paradoxa or Butyrospermum paradoxum, is a nutritional and economic resource of great importance across 16 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. It is aslow-growing and wild savannah fruit treeindigenous to a narrow band of parkland extending from Senegal to Uganda.