brief copy-oil palm age and productivity

Oil palm trees require approximately three years to mature and do not reach peak production of fresh fruit bunches until 8 years after planting. Their peak production years range from their 8th year until their 17th year, after which production of fruit gradually declines. As of June 30, 2007, the weighted average age of its plantations was about 7.8 years, and the substantial majority of palm trees are entering into prime production age. Production of fruit bunches increased from 440,550 tons in 2001 to 1,120,765 tons in 2006, an average yield of about 20 tons per hectare.

Detailed Product Description
The oil palm tree is a tropical plant which commonly grows in warm climates at altitudes of less than 1,600 feet above sea level. There is one species, the Noli or Elaeis oleifera (H.B.K) Cortes which is native of America; another species is Elaeis guineensis Jacq. which originates from the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa (hence its scientific name) and better known as the African oil palm.

This tree produces one of the most popular edible oils in the world a versatile oil of superb nutritional value. It is the most prolific of all oil plants and in commercial terms the one which offers major prospects of development.

Oil palm is normally monoic; in other words, it has both male and female flowers on the same tree. It produces thousands of fruits, in compact bunches whose weight varies between 10 and 40 kilograms. Each fruit is almost spherical, ovoid or elongated in shape. Generally the fruit is dark purple, almost black before it ripens and orange red when ripe.

Some 40 leaves crown the stately column of the oil palm and as it reaches middle age its leaves spread out - between 10 and 25 feet in length and almost parallel to the ground. Each leaf has short thorns at its base and about 250 leaflets in an irregular pattern on both sides of the petiole. Thus, these leaflets are not continuous like the tines of a feather. In fact, the irregular appearance of the frond is one of the characteristic features of this species.The fruit has a single seed the palm kernel protected by a wooden endocarp or shell, surrounded by a fleshy mesocarp or pulp. This fruit produces two types of oil: one extracted from the pulp (palm oil) and the other from the kernel (palm kernel oil).

Its stem stands straight in the form of an inverted cone. In the wild it may grow to heights of one hundred feet and more. The stems of young and adult plants are wrapped in leaves which give them a rather rough appearance. The older trees have smooth stems apart from the scars left by the leaves which have withered and fallen off.

Primary roots grow downwards from the base of the palm and radiate outwards in a more or less horizontal direction close to the surface of the ground. Their length and depth depend on the type of soil.

Oil palm plants have bright male and female flowers which bear fruits by the thousands. Its fruits are round, ovoid or elongated in shape which make up compact bunches weighing between 10-40 kgs. Before ripening, palm fruits are dark purple, almost black, and when they become ripe under a tropical sun turn a bright, colorful orangey-redcolor. Inside each fruit is a single seed, the kernel or palm kernel,protected by a woody endocarp or shell which is surrounded by a fleshy mesocarp or pulp. Both the pulp and kernel produce large quantities of oil. Two types of oil are produced, palm kernel oil from the kernel and the palm oil extracted from the pulp.
he stem of the palm tree is straight and the plant forms the shape of an inverted cone. Young palms have rough, jagged stems. Later older palms have smoother stems but have scars left behind as some 40 leaves wither and fall off, giving the stems a layered and segmented texture.

When the oil palm tree has reached middle age, its leaves lie almost parallel to the ground, between 3- 6 meters long. Each leaf is made up of some 250 linear follicles, which grow out of the sides of its stalk in an irregular pattern. The messy and disorganized appearance of the leaves is a special feature of the oil palm.

The oil palm is a perennial tree, normally lasting more than 50 years. But after 20-30 years, the oil palm is difficult to harvest because of its height. Normally at this stage, plantations are cleared out and replanted.

Cultivating oil palm not only requires the right climate and soil. Obtaining maximum yields at each production stage also depends on the quality of seeds used, a rigorous selection process of seedlings in the nursery, good soil preparation before seeds are planted, the setting up of plantations correctly and the right use of fertilizers.

Oil palm plantations require intensive labor and much care. Palm trees need to be protected and nurtured carefully so that they grow, develop and reach their maximum yields as quickly as possible. Good plantation management also involves protecting the oil palm throughout its lifespan and ensuring that other crops do not take away the water, light and soil nutrients it needs. The oil palm also needs to be protected against pests and diseases and requires the right amount of water and nutrients when necessary. Finally, it is important that leaves and bunches are cut carefully so as not to damage the plant.

A varied labor force with different levels of expertise and experience work on oil palm plantations. The way fruits are harvested, transported and processed all affect the quality of oil produced in the end.

The design of a plantation, including the lay out of its lots, paths and canals and the site of a palm oil mill, all play an important role in oil palm cultivation, including how fruits are harvested and transported to the mill.