Wild Harvesting

Wild harvesting and cultivation of AB present two complementing management approaches for the species. Harvesting fruit from wild trees in natural forest or from naturally regenerated trees in fields involves identification of female trees (approx 50% AB of population), daily collection of fallen fruit for 10-20 day period per tree, extraction of seed from the fruit and carrying the seed back to the homestead for drying.
 
Up to 300 fruit may be collected from a single tree although 100-150 fruit per tree is more common. Biennial fruiting patterns (synchronized or otherwise) where an abundant fruiting year is followed by a poor year do not appear to be prevalent in the species. Individual fruit weigh between 1.2 to 4.0 kg and may contain 25 to 40 seeds. Air-dried seed from approximately 3 fruit provide 1kg of seed which yields on average 35% oil.