Many people know about the existence of palm oil. Today it is one of the most used and common plant products worldwide. In this article, we will consider some questions regarding this curious exotic plant that gives such a necessary product: what is an oil palm, where does it grow, etc.
First of all, I want to note that the very first description of a tree resembling an oil palm was made by a Venetian named Alvise da Cada-Most in the 15th century. This scientist was engaged in research in West Africa.
More than 50 years ago, the fruits of the oil palm tree have come a long way with slaves across the Atlantic Ocean, after which this oil has become so common throughout the world.
There are the Solomon Islands (southwestern Pacific), where you can see the endless rows of palm trees, from the fruits of which oil is made.
Oil palm: photo, description
This is a plant of the palm family and one of the species of the genus of oil palm.
In its wild-growing form, it is a huge tree, the height of which can reach from 20 to 30 meters, but in culture more often grows from 10 to 15 meters. The main trunk of a palm tree appears only in the 4-6th year of life, and in the shade (under the forest canopy) - only after 15-20 years. An adult tree has a trunk diameter of 25 centimeters.
The root system of the palm tree is quite powerful, but, as a rule, lies not very deep. Adult plants at the base of the trunk have numerous, adventitious roots extending to the sides. Some plants have such dense appendages covering the trunk to a height of 1 meter.
The leaves of the palm are long (up to 7 meters), large and cirrus. In an adult plant in the crown they can be counted 20-40 pieces. But annually up to 25 leaves die off at a palm tree, again being replaced by new ones. Large brown spikes cover the petioles of the leaves.
In addition to all of the above, this amazing oil palm is very beautiful and majestic in appearance.
Fruit
This is an ordinary drupe the size of a date. The oval-shaped fruit of the oil palm on top is covered with fibrous pericarp, inside of which there is a pulp containing oil. Under this flesh there is a fairly strong, shelled nut covered with a kernel (or seed) inside. The latter mainly consists of endosperm, and the seed germ is small.
Oil palm (photo of the fruit above) has a huge number of drupes. The mass of each of which is 55-100 g. They are collected in panicled inflorescences containing a total of 1300 to 2300 fruits.
Oil characteristics
Palm oil is made from fruit pulp. Its color can vary from dark yellow to dark red shades, and it is used mainly as a technological lubricant and for the production of soap.
Palm kernel oil is produced from the kernels of palm fruits. By its properties and composition, it is similar to coconut and is often used instead.
Although this oil has a melting point of 27 to 30 degrees Celsius, it is often subjected to hydrogenation, used in a mixture with other liquid vegetable oils, or separately to produce edible salomas in the production of margarine.
To produce one ton of palm oil, four and a half tons of fruit are needed.
Harvesting
Oil palm, as noted above, has a huge number of fruits. With all this, plantation workers collect ripened crops in the amount of up to 2 tons (this is from 80 to 100 bunches) daily manually. It should be noted that one bunch reaches a weight of 25 kg. And in each of them there are about two hundred fruits.
Harvesting fruits is very difficult and time-consuming, because they are located approximately at the height of a four-story building. How is this done? Workers fasten sharp knives to the end of a telescopic pole. With their help, pickers cut down the fruits from the trees and collect them in piles on the side of the road. Then the clusters get to the processing plant.
Places of growth
In countries with a hot climate, oil palm grows. Where is it grown? There is an African palm of this kind (Elaeis guieneensis). Although its homeland is tropical Africa (Nigeria), it grows in Malaysia, Central America and Indonesia.
There are also places where such palm trees are cultivated (species Elaeis melanococca, Acrocomia and Coco Mbocaya) and in South America (in particular, in Paraguay). This plant is cultivated for the production of technical and edible oils.
Productivity
A wild-growing oil palm blooms and bears fruit only in the 10-20th year of life, and a specially cultivated plant begins to bear fruit in the third or fourth years after planting.
The maximum yield is reached at the age of 15-18 years, and the total lifespan of this exotic plant is on average from 80 to 120 years.
A bit of history
Oil from the fruits of this wonderful useful plant has been made since the earliest times. During archaeological excavations, a jug was discovered with obvious traces of palm oil (African burial grounds dating back to the 3rd millennium BC).
Palm cultivation on an industrial scale only began in the twentieth century. At that time, companies that produced soap and margarine were interested in the oil of its fruits.
Large-scale palm cultivation began in Indonesia in 1911, and in Malaysia in 1919. Also began to expand the area with plantings of these plants in African countries.
Today, oil palm is one of the leading crops in the world used to produce vegetable oil. According to statistics, in 1988 it produced more than 9 million tons, and every year production became more and more.
Using
The natives themselves usually use the freshest oil obtained from drupes, at that time resembling nutty to taste. Subsequently, his taste and smell change to not very pleasant.
In general, oil palm is used quite variably: ropes are made from the fibers of its young leaves, dry leaves are used to weave mats, curtains, and roofs for huts are made from them. Baskets are weaved from stems, quite tasty young shoots are used as food (so-called palm cabbage), wine is made from palm juice.
In England, oil is used to lubricate machines and make candles.
In recent years, palm trees began to grow in Brazil.
