Fruits are available throughout the year, but the peak period of harvest is fromJune to July . When fruits are fully ripe, the nuts split open. These are either plucked from the tree or allowed to drop. The two major products are nutmeg and mace. Dried nutmeg and mace are directly used as spice and also for the preparation of their derivatives. After de-rinding the nutmeg fruit, red feathery aril (mace) is separated from pericarp. The mace is detached, flattened and dried under sun on mats for 3-5 days. The nuts are dried in the sun for six to eight days till they rattle in their shell. They are stored in warm dry place prior to shelling.
