How much oil does a palm oil farm produce per hectare?
In 2016, it was found that palm oil farms produce around 4.17 metric tons of oil per hectare. By contrast other oils, such as sunflower, soybean, or peanut only produce 0.56, 0.39, and 0.16 metric tons respectively per hectare.
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.
What challenges will the oil palm sector face in the 2020s?
This review surveys the oil palm sector in the 2020s and beyond, its major challenges and options for future progress. Oil palm crop production faces many future challenges, including emerging threats from climate change and pests and diseases.
Why is the oil palm industry important?
The global oil palm industry is a major component of contemporary agriculture, supplying food to billions of people, plus a host of non-food products that include strategically vital cleaning products used in critical health care settings.