Accelerated Domestication and Commercialization of Indigenous Fruit and Nut Trees to Enhance Better Livelihoods in the Tropics: Lessons and Way Forward - Indigenous Fruit Trees in the Tropics: Domestication, Utilization and Commercialization - page 409

products can qualify as organic products and could gain market share and
entrance into the multibillion-dollar globally increasing niche markets for
natural products, especially if operated within fair trade principles. Despite the
wealth of indigenous fruits in the tropics, little market research has been
conducted to date.
Market potential for IFT products in sub-Saharan Africa
Market potentials of indigenous fruit trees are poorly documented and research
has only recently started to appear for most regions. Evidence is accumulating
that IFTs can contribute significantly to household income in every region
covered in this topic. South-African consumers bought 543 million l of fruit
juice in 1998, and there is growing interest in natural fruit flavours within the
fruit industry (Ham, 2005).
There are several major indigenous fruits that could be described as
success stories in Africa. First among these is the marula tree ( Sclerocarya
birrea subsp. caffra ) in the southern Africa miombo ecosystem, from which the
popular Amarula Cream liqueur, which is sold in 63 countries world-wide, is
produced (Ham, 2005; Chapter 8, this volume), and from which Maruline ® -
'the super marula oil', which is the first biologically active natural ingredient
has been extracted and patented (Phytotrade, 2005, press release 8 April).
Other wines and beverages are produced from marula for regional markets.
The pulp of S. birrea is reported to be sold for US$0.20 per kilogram in
Dodoma, Tanzania (Chapter 11). Communities that processed about 2000 t
per year in South Africa received US$180,000 per annum, and 55 semi-skilled
employees of a processing plant earned US$5 per day for 2 months of the year.
According to another report, 42 communities in South Africa earned
US$48,000 from 12 t of marula kernel in 2001. The oil and butter from the
nuts of S. birrea is valued for cosmetics and nutraceutical industries in Europe
and America (Phytotrade, 2005).
Ramadhani (2002) and Ramadhani and Schmidt (Chapter 12) found
significant trade barriers in indigenous fruit trees marketing in Zimbabwe. Local
regulations prohibit the collection of fruits for sale, and movement between
districts in order to protect the natural resource base. However, such policies
create a disincentive to the cultivation of trees by farmers on their farms.
Mithöfer (2005; Chapter 13, this volume) examined the economics of
collection, use and sale of indigenous fruits in Zimbabwe and found that
returns on labour were relatively high, suggesting that growing trees may
become more profitable as the natural resource base recedes. An alarming rate
of recession has been noted for U. kirkiana in southern Malawi by Fiedler
(2004). Although Z. mauritiana is another fruit tree with market potential in the
southern, eastern and Sahel regions of Africa, trade is mostly national.
However, none of the other IFTs apart from S. birrea has been able to break
into the regional or international markets. Although U. kirkiana is the most
preferred IFT in southern Africa for the national market (Chapters 1, 8, 12 and
13), its prospect of being attractive to the international market is remote in
terms of the hundreds of fruits with superior appeal and preferred attributes in