Oil palm: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The African oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) or Oil palm is a member of the Arecaceae, or palm family. It is used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The plant originated in west Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia. It was imported to Sumatra and the Malay area in the early 1900s.

Oil palms are grown for their clusters of fruit, which can weigh up to 45 kilograms (100 pounds). Each fruit has between one and three seeds. The fruit takes six months to mature from polliation and after harvest. Upon harvest, the drupe, pericarp and seeds are used for production of soap (mainly from the pericarp oil) and edible vegetable oil (mainly from the kernel oil).

Agriculture

For each hectare of oil palm, which is harvested year-round, the annual production averages 10 tonnes of fruit, which yields 2,000 kg of pericarp oil, and 520 kg of seed kernels, which yield 250 kg of high quality palm kernel oil as well as 500 kg of kernel meal. The meal is used to feed livestock. Some varieties have even higher productivities which has led to their consideration for producing the vegetable oil needed for biodiesel. [1]

Palm oil is high in vitamin K and dietary Magnesium. Palm oil contains 43 percent saturated fats, 43 percent monounsaturated fats and 13 percent polyunsaturated fats.

Its high nutritional value means that the palm nut is eaten by a wide variety of animals, including, rather improbably, some birds of prey such as the Palm Nut Vulture and the Harrier Hawk.

On mature trees, the oil palm's leaves can reach between 3-5m (10-15 feet) long growing from its spiky stalk which can reach 30 m (100 feet) in height. A young tree produces about 30 leaves a year. Established trees over 10 years produce 20 leaves a year. Unlike its relative, the coconut plam, the oil palm doesn't produce offshoots.