Introduction To Palm Oil

THE OIL PALM

The Oil Palm, whose scientific name is Elaeis guineensis Jacq, originates from West Africa.

It was first brought into this country by the British in the 1870’s as an ornamental plant in their gardens. However, other countries were already familiar with it based on the earliest evidences of its usage :

Traces of palm oil found in 5000-year old burial urns in Abydos, Egypt

The barter of palm oil for salt used centuries ago

As lubricant for engines, and in the manufacture of candles, soap and margarine in Europe in the 19th century.

The planting of oil palm started on a large scale in Malaysia in the 1960s. It was introduced by the Malaysian Government as a scheme to eradicate poverty and raise the standard of living among the rural population.

Today, oil palm grows and flourish in plantations which can be found throughout the country, from Perlis to Sabah.

THE TREE

The oil palm tree is truly profitable. The high yield of palm oil can continue for 20 to 30 years. The planting of oil palm requires less land compared to other oil yielding crops.

THE FRUIT

A healthy oil palm tree can produce approximately 26 Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) per year. Once the palm fruit ripens, it turns reddish gold in colour. It must be harvested immediately and sent to the mill to ensure that the oil produced is of high quality.

The oil palm fruit produces 2 types of oils: