OIL PALM ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN MALAYSIA AND R&D PROGRESS IN 2017 – Review Article

Abstract

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) has emerged as a major economic crop feeding the world today. This article aims to capture the more recent progress made by the oil palm industry and to discuss the possible path research and development will take in the coming years. In 2017, palm oil and palm kernel oil production recorded close to one-third (75.17 million tonnes) of world total oils and fats production from a planted area of 19.04 million hectares, mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia. Malaysian palm oil alone fetched RM 46.12 billion export revenue from its India and European Union markets. The continuous growth of the industry is made possible through implementation of key strategies covering the whole process chain, from upstream to downstream. Intensified mechanisation, integrated pest and Ganoderma management, advanced breeding and biotechnology as well as good agricultural practices help boost oil palm yields for both plantations and smallholdings. In the palm oil milling sector, focus such as by-products valorisation, biogas (productivity, trapping and utilisation as a form of energy) and wastewater management, i.e. palm oil mill effluent for final discharge compliance ensures that the industry meets its sustainable goals. Palm oil is generally used for edible purpose, however about 20% goes into higher value non-food applications such as palm biodiesel.The beneficial nutritional aspects of palm oil are evident based on its positional distribution and fatty acids composition, while its quality enhanced via technology integration/mitigation and analytical elucidations.Facing strong competition from petrochemicals, palm-based oleochemicals are strategically aimed at producing value-added products for niche and new markets. It is apparent that synergising conventional and disruptive technologies at every level of the palm oil supply chain is desirable and essential to thrust the industry forward. As a commodity, palm oil has not only emerged as an important food source, but has proven to be effectively utilised for feed, fuels and chemicals, to name a few, in developing a sustainable and balanced circular economy.

Circular Economy and Economic Development in the European Union: A Review and Bibliometric Analysis

“…In any case, more efficient resource utilization may bring about relevant outcomes for sustainability [17]. Quality of life and human health are, in general, interconnected with environmental sustainability [18], and there is a global concern with the environment [19], although sustainable developments are not easy goals [20]. The involvement of the several stakeholders may facilitate the evolution towards a greener economy and society [21], considering the great expectations in the European Union about the dimensions of the circular economy [22] and its local acknowledgement [23].…”

Sustainable Palm Oil—The Role of Screening and Advanced Analytical Techniques for Geographical Traceability and Authenticity Verification

“…Food industries consume 80% of palm oil and the remaining 20% is used for industrial (non-food) applications such as in the biodiesel industry [7]. Its diverse applications in food and non-food including biofuels and its competitive price in comparison to other vegetable oils, make palm oil an appealing and attractive commodity [8][9][10][11].…”

“…It generated RM 64.84 billion in earnings in 2019 as compared to RM 67.52 billion in 2018 (Table 2). The exports of Malaysian palm oil are mainly concentrated in five major markets such as India, China, the European Union (EU), Pakistan, and the United States of America (U.S.A), comprising nearly 60% of total exports [1,7,16]. In 2019, Malaysia exported a total of 2.09 million tonnes of palm oil to the EU-up 9.5% from 1.91 million tonnes recorded in 2018-and accounting for 11.3% of Malaysia's total 2019 palm oil exports.…”

Evaluation of sodium deoxycholate as solubilization buffer for oil palm proteomics analysis

“…Palm oil remains the most efficient oil crop in the world based on its land use (0.36% of the world agricultural land) and productivity (34% of world oils and fats production) [1]. There has been an increasing interest in studying the oil palm proteome to answer many physiological questions, for instance, the machinery of fatty acid production [2–6], fungal disease affecting the oil palm plantations [7, 8] and the flowering process [9] to enhance the sustainability of oil palm.…”