25/09/2023 (Business Day) - Oil Palm is native to West Africa. Nigeria used to be the world’s largest producer of oil palm before the oil boom era. Indonesia has now taken over as the top producer and oil palm and allied industries is now the main stay of its economy.

In the early 70’s, Malaysia came to Nigeria to obtain oil palm seedlings and seeds, according to experts.

Apart from household consumption, oil palm serves as by-product to numerous industries such as the food and beverage, cosmetics and the pharmaceutical industry among others.

The palm can be used in various ways; the leaves are used in making brooms and as roofing materials (in the rural areas). The bark of the fond can be peeled and woven into baskets.

The main trunk can be spitted like dawn timbers and used as part of building materials. Palm wine can be obtained from oil palm tree and oil are readily obtainable from the fresh fruit bunches.

When the fruit is processed the residue obtained can be used as fuel (for cooking and fertilizer to improve soil nutrient). Red Palm Oil is used in cooking, making soap, candle and margarine.

Palm Kernel oil can be extracted from the nut. The residue obtainable in the process of palm kernel oil extraction otherwise called palm kernel cake is used to as livestock feed. Palm Kernel Oil is used in vegetable oil and soap making. Palm kernel shells are also useful as energy source and industrial raw materials such as mosquito coils when banded.

The uses to which oil palm can be made seem non exhaustive. This indicates that investment made in the establishment of oil palm plantation is nothing but a wise one. The market is guaranteed for all the products of oil palm plantation in this era of global food crisis.

Technical Information

To establish oil palm plantation, it involves getting a good site with rich, well drained acidic soils are abundant. The soil should have adequate quantities of potassium, magnesium and nitrogen.

Soil tests should therefore be carried out to determine the nutrient status of the land obtained.

It is usually better to use the early maturing variety called tenera which bears fruits as from the fourth year.

Other requirements include seedlings procurement; this can be obtained from reputable nurseries. Prospective investors must engage the services of Agricultural experts in the course of establishing this project.

Other cultural practices are planting, regular weeding, pruning and fertilizer application. Serious minded investors will be guided accordingly in the implementation of this project.

 https://businessday.ng/agriculture/article/how-to-invest-in-oil-palm-plantation/