E. guineensis plants bear prolific numbers of oil-rich fruit bunches year-round, each containing between 1000?3000 individual fruits (Corley and Tinker 2015 ). Mesocarp-derived palm oil makes up about 89% the total fruit oil with the remaining 11% being derived from the seed or kernel.
How sustainable is oil palm production?
The sustainability of oil palm production will depend in part on using cover crops, especially under suboptimal conditions. Leguminous cover crops are grown to (a) coexist with oil palm following jungle clearing and planting/replanting, (b) provide complete cover to an otherwise bare soil, and (c) protect from erosion.
How does palm oil affect global trade?
In terms of global trade, palm oils from commercial plantations are by far the most important contributors. In some cases, the larger plantation companies also own or control many key downstream elements in palm oil supply chains.
What is palm oil used for?
Palm oils are key dietary components consumed daily by over three billion people, mostly in Asia, and also have a wide range of important non-food uses including in cleansing and sanitizing products. Oil palm is a perennial crop with a?>?25-year life cycle and an exceptionally low land footprint compared to annual oilseed crops.