User:Ryasmina/sandbox

Is working at the sandbox of Vsoldati

Harvest and postharvest treatment
The yeheb-nut is mainly harvested manually by children and women, and the harvest process is reported to be hard work. Due to the high demand and many droughts in the last few years, the shrub is often harvested immature at an age below 3 years. Recommendated harvest time is in June, but in Somalia nowadays there is reported to harvest twice a year , which is possible if both rainy seasons occur within their normal extent.

The harvested yield is on average 5 kg seeds per shrub, the quantity increases with higher age but is also dependant on the amount of rainfall [Baumer 1983]. The nut is rarely eaten fresh in Somali from children, more often the seeds are first dried in the shade during 7-10 days and then the hard seet coat is removed. For storage, the nut has to be roasted to prevent insects eggs evolvement and fungal attack. The firewood is taken from the shrub which hampers the regeneration of the population in addition to the complete removement of all the seeds. After the roasting process, which leads to a certain loss of the product, the nuts are stored in sacks in the house for personal use or for trade at local markets at a later time [tradknow].