Top Karite Nut Producing Countries

The Karite Nut, more commonly known as the shea nut, is primarily farmed in the "Shea Belt" of sub-Saharan Africa, with top producing countries including Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire. Shea trees (Vitellaria paradoxa) are indigenous to West and Central Africa and have been harvested for centuries by local communities, who traditionally used the nuts to produce shea butter for food, cosmetics, and medicinal purposes. The domestication and systematic farming of shea trees have historically been limited, as the trees are slow-growing and often integrated into agroforestry systems rather than cultivated in plantations. However, with the global rise in demand for shea butter in the food and cosmetic industries during the 20th and 21st centuries, efforts have increased to manage and protect shea parklands, improve post-harvest processing, and enhance the economic benefits for rural women, who are the primary collectors and processors of shea nuts. Today, the shea industry is a vital source of income for millions of people across West Africa, with ongoing initiatives to promote sustainable harvesting and value addition.

Data from United Nations FAO Stat