Low smallholder participation in oil Source: Icons from Noun Project 4 In order to expand the edible oils industry, Tanzania should focus first on the sunflower value chain, as it is best positioned to serve strong demand given current production dynamics Source: IHS Markit; FAOSTAT; Dalberg analysis from calculations
How many raw shea nuts are produced in Africa?
Africa produces approximately 1,760,000 metric tons (MT) of raw shea nuts a year, and historically, most of this stayed within the African continent to supply domestic demand. The shea export market traditionally traded raw shea kernels rather than shea butter or other finished products.
Which oil is most popular in Tanzania?
sunflower have the strongest global demand of oils with significant production in Tanzania While palm has the highest demand globally, current production dynamics in Tanzania strongly favor sunflower only Land access and significant patient capital required to ramp up production Dependent on seed cotton production trends.
Where does a shea tree grow?
Although it only grows in a limited swath of sub-Saharan African parklands, the wild shea tree supplies the entire world with enough shea nuts to meet the growing demand for both shea oil and shea butter.
How is shea oil extracted?
As a result, many shea producers are adopting more mechanized solutions to improve quality and yield. Larger processors use mechanical extraction equipment to recover more oil efficiently. Screw press expellers physically crush the shea kernels to squeeze out shea oil from the solid meal, which exits the expeller as a cake.
How is shea butter fractionated?
Once refined, shea butter can be fractionated into two parts: a creamy fat known as shea stearin and a liquid oil called shea olein—otherwise known as shea oil. Fractionation separates these two unique components using either a chemical reagent or physical methods like centrifugation.