The nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans is indigenous to the Moluccas, Indonesia. The fruit contains a nut, which is covered by a hard shell. A red coloured webbing (known as mace) covers the shell. Once ripe the fruit will open revealing the mace and will fall to the ground to be collected or it can be picked just before falling. The mace will be carefully removed leaving the nutmeg (nut) available to be ground and processed.
The oil is extracted from the 'nut' by steam distillation after the grinding of the nutmeg.
The nutmeg is slightly sweeter than mace making the dry or ground spice a favourite in many culinary dishes. As an essential oil it is extensively used in perfumery and pharmaceuticals as well as a natural flavouring for baked goods, beverages, syrups and sweets.
Indonesia exports around 350-400MT of nutmeg oil each year which accounts for around 80% of the global production. Today the product is predominately plantation harvested.
Read more about the impact of recent plantations in our latest Elementary Report.
Read our latest report on Indonesia presented in October 2015 at the IFEAT conference in Sri Lanka, titled 'Indonesia - Current & Future Market Dynamics'
The market for Indonesian nutmeg oil remains significant, as the country is one of the world’s largest producers of nutmeg and mace. Nutmeg trees are cultivated extensively in the Maluku Islands and parts of North Sulawesi. These evergreen trees thrive in volcanic, fertile, and well-drained loamy soils, rich in organic matter, with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Nutmeg oil is extracted via steam distillation of dried nutmeg seeds, yielding a warm, spicy, and woody aroma.
The oil is widely used in the flavouring industry. In perfumery, nutmeg oil imparts warm spicy notes, while in aromatherapy it is valued for its stimulating and analgesic properties. Nutmeg trees produce their first fruit after 5 years. After that, a harvest for nutmeg oil occurs every 6 months and harvest for spice occurs every 9 months. If the economics of producing nutmeg oil are not favourable, farmers will choose to sell nutmeg as a spice instead. Nutmeg oil prices are stable now.
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