In terms of large-scale commercial production, however, oil palm is a relatively recent crop that only emerged into global prominence later in the twentieth century, with an almost linear rise from 1990 to the early 2000s, followed by a plateau after 2007 (Malaysian Palm Oil Production by Year 2020).
Where is oil palm cultivated?
Cultivation of oil palm as a crop was originally an informal process mainly confined to the West/Central African coastal belt between Guinea/Liberia and Northern Angola (Corley and Tinker 2015). Globally, the best production levels are achieved in high rainfall areas in equatorial regions between 7° N and 7° S.
Which country produces the most palm oil in the world?
Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of palm oil, surpassing Malaysia in 2006, producing more than 20.9 million metric tons (23.0 million short tons), a number that has since risen to over 34.5 million metric tons (38.0 million short tons) (2016 output). Indonesia expects to double production by the end of 2030.
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.