Gathering and Harvesting

Harvesting and Sorting

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Resin Gradings

Harvesting Frankincense

The harvesting process of B. sacra and B. frereana, the two different species of frankincense tree in Somalia, has both differences and similarities. The way in which the frankincense gum/resin is collected is the same between both trees, however the season that it is gathered in is different. The tapping period for the Beeyo resin is from March till mid-September, usually an 8-9 month long period but with variable tapings depending on the amount of rain received (Progressive). There are two tapping periods for B. sacra, each lasting 3-4 months. For each tree, tapping intervals are 15 days long, and an average of 18 annual tappings can be attained per year (Progressive). Each tree type averages a yield between 1-3kg of frankincense gums per year (SEPASAL). Not surprisingly, these yields as well as the quality of the resin will decline with drought (FAO, 1995). This means instead of counting on 18 visits for tapping per year, the average collector could have as few as 7, or as many as 20 visits to the same tree depending just on the weather (SEPASAL).

To harvest frankincense gums from the Yagcar and Mohor a certain tapping method is used by the local gatherers. First, in the right season incisions with a tool called a "mangaaf" are made in the bark of the tree. Milky sap that flows from these cuts then hardens on exposure to air (FAO, 1995). Tears of hardened sap can then be easily broken and scraped off by use of the same tool used to make the incisions. For each tapping incisions are made in the same points as prior ones (FAO, 1995). Usually only a small cut is required to encourage resin flow again (SEPASAL). Experienced collectors of frankincense give their trees a rest from tapping every 5-6 years.

Somalia and Ethiopia are the biggest producers of Olibanum, myrrh, and opopanax (FAO, 1995). There are an estimated 10,000 people who collect frankincense in Northern Somalia (Progressive). Frankincense is the third largest export for Somalia besides livestock, so the frankincense trade is important to many people (Farah,1994). The tapping of and collecting of the resin is usually done by men, while the sorting of the grades is done by the women (Farah, 1995). Ownership in the frankincense business belongs to the families in Northern Somalia, but refers to the trees and not the actual land that the trees are on (Progressive).

Sorting out of the different grades of frankincense is done by the merchant and not the collector (FAO, 1995). Usually the graders and cleaners of the gums are women in urban centers devoted to this task (Progressive). Frankincense is sorted into grades with preference given to larger paler lumps over the small dark pieces. So, the three categories used to judge a piece are size, color, and cleanliness. Like pieces are grouped together and then bagged for export (FAO, 1995). The two different tree types discussed have different grades for sorting. Beeyo resins have only four grades while Maydi has seven. Somalia is the only place the maydi type of olibanum can be harvested, which may make its demand higher (FAO, 1995). However, there is evidence that the yield and quality of oils obtained from the highest grades are no different than those gained from the lowest grades (Progressive). The storage of tears may be one aspect of the process that does have an effect on the quality though. Storage in a non air-conditioned or humid condition can decrease quality (Progressive).

Some concerns associated with the harvesting process are the ideas of the present question of over-harvesting and the grazing impact of livestock on the trees. For further discussion into these topics view the "problems" page.