Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil high in saturated fats and free of trans fats.
The oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) is a native to West Africa and was imported into SE Asia in the mid 19th century. Oil palm flourishes in the humid tropics and produces high yield when grown 10 degrees north and south of the equator.
Palm fruit develops in dense bunches weighing 10 kilograms (kg) or more and containing more than a thousand individual fruits similar in size to a small plum which tree produces 2 types of oil. Palm oil (PO) is obtained from the flesh of the fruit and Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) is produced by extracting the oil from the internal seed (Kernel).
Every oil palm tree requires approximately 3m diameter clear around the base of each tree to allow full growth. Oil palm is highly productive crop which is capable of yielding more oil from less land than any other vegetable oil in existence. One oil palm tree will produce ongoing fruit for up to 30 years deeming the crop as high yielding and sustainable..
