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In South America, brazil nuts grow during the 4-month dry season that differs from region to region. The Brazil nut is a hard-shelled fruit, similar to a coconut, and takes about 14 months to mature. The fruit is about 4-6 inches in diameter and can weigh up to four pounds. The shell of the fruit is about a quarter of an inch thick and contains between 12-24 nuts.

Brazil nuts are primarily harvested from wild trees during the six-month period of the rainy season. Because the Brazil nut trees are so tall, harvesting the fruits consists of gathering the fruit after they fall. Once the fruit falls, it has to be gathered quickly so they are not susceptible to fungus and animals that can carry them away.

Madre de Dios, a mountainous area of pristine forests, is one of the poorest regions of Peru. The most lucrative industry here is the collection and processing of the Amazon (Brazil) nut into oils, candy, and candles for export. Unfortunately, few producers are informed or rewarded for extracting the oil in a sustainable manner meaning the region's rates of rainforest destruction are almost as high as its poverty.