TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND NEW GROWTH AREAS OF THE OIL PALM INDUSTRY Technological Development and New Growth Areas of the Oil Palm Industry

Mohd Basri Wahid*; Lim, W S* and Mohd ABSTRACT Arif, S* Technological development has transformed the Malaysian industry into a strategic and well planned industry that responds to global challenges. In particular, genetic knowledge since as early as 1912 first led the phenomenal growth of the industry through the planting of tenera instead of dura palms. This was complemented by the government allocating land to the poor and landless to plant more oil palm, in great part causing the area to increase from 54 000 ha in 1960 to 1.02 million hectares in 1980 and 2.03 million hectares in 1990. By 2006, there were 4.16 million hectares of oil palm, constituting nearly two-thirds of the national agricultural area (Table 1). continues to be the world’s largest palm oil producer with a production of 15.90 million tonnes in 2006. The success of the crop is largely market driven with good long- term price prospects for palm oil making oil palm more attractive than most other crops. Palm oil contributes more than one-third of the national agricultural GDP, generating RM 31.81 billion in export earnings in 2006, making it one of the pillars of Malaysia’s economy. At present, the industry employs more than 1.5 million people in the core and related sectors. This paper provides an overview of the technological developments which have propelled the industry into a strategic and important sector and which will shape the future of the oil palm agro industry.

ADVANCES IN PLANTING in area under new planting and MATERIALS replanting. Despite the availability of better planting materials, the The continued expansion in oil Malaysian national yield has palm cultivation in Malaysia has stagnated at below 20 t FFB /ha/yr been accompanied by continuing for the last 20 years (Figure 1 and introduction of ever better planting Table 2). The current yield materials. At present, there are 18 represents a gap of about 60% as certified seed producing centres the present planting materials have that conform to stringent the potential of producing 8.8 t/ha/yr technological standards with 12 of of palm oil (Jalani et al., 2002). As them solely producing seeds. In indicated in Table 3, the low 1995, 56 million seeds were Malaysian fresh fruit bunch (FFB) * , produced, increasing to 81 million yield is mainly dragged down by P. O. Box 10620, in 2005. The demand for seeds has public agencies. Up to 35% or even 50720 Kuala Lumpur, grown in tandem with the increase higher yield can be expected with Malaysia.

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TABLE 1. OIL PALM PLANTED AREA: 1960-2006 (ha) TABLE 2. PALM OIL YIELD BY COUNTRY (t/ha/yr) Year P. Malaysia Sabah Sarawak Total 1995 2005 1960 na na na 54 000 Malaysia 3.60 4.20 1975 568 561 59 139 14 091 641 791 Indonesia 3.58 3.54 1980 906 590 93 967 22 749 1 023 306 Nigeria 1.80 2.16 1985 1 292 399 161 500 28 500 1 482 399 Colombia 3.31 3.88 1990 1 698 498 276 171 54 795 2 029 464 Papua New 4.02 4.09 1995 1 903 171 518 133 118 783 2 540 087 Guinea 2000 2 045 500 1 000 777 330 387 3 376 664 World 3.20 3.60 2001 2 096 856 1 027 328 374 828 3 499 012 Source: Oil World (various issues). 2002 2 187 010 1 068 973 414 260 3 670 243 2003 2 202 166 1 135 100 464 774 3 802 040 the planting of clones. There are currently campaigns going on to 2004 2 201 606 1 165 412 508 309 3 875 327 increase the FFB yield and improve 2005 2 298 608 1 209 368 543 398 4 051 374 the oil extraction rate (OER) with 2006 2 334 247 1 239 497 591 471 4 165 215 a long-term goal of 35:25 (FFB yield of 35 t/ha/yr and 25% OER). Sources: Department of Statistics, Malaysia: 1960 – 1985; MPOB: 1985 – 2006. This will be achieved through systematic replanting with good 25.00 quality planting materials, 24.00 especially by the public agencies. 23.00

) 22.00 BIOTECHNOLOGY a h

/ 21.00 t (

d l 20.00 One important strategy to improve e i y 19.00 yields is to plant clones which B F F 18.00 produce more uniform and higher 17.00 yield than the seedlings now 16.00 planted from conventional 15.00 breeding. MPOB has identified 5 0 3 4 5 8 1 4 1 7 2 6 0 2 6 9 5 7 9 3 8 0 0 0 0 9 9 9 0 0 8 9 9 8 8 9 9 9 9 8 8 9 highly productive ortets (mother 0 9 0 0 0 0 9 0 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 palms) for clonal propagation Figure 1. Fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yield (t/ha/yr) 1985-2005. (Table 4) and developed protocols for liquid culture, which is more

TABLE 3. FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES (FFB) YIELD BY AGENCIES (t/ha) 1995 AND 2005 TABLE 4. CLONAL PERFORMANCE (MPOB trials) Category 1995 2005 No. Clone Oil to Oil Private estates 20.13 20.30 bunch yield Public agencies: (%) (t/ha/yr) 1. FELDA 17.88 16.11 1. P164 30.6 8.71 2. FELCRA 16.72 16.73 3. RISDA 16.67 12.09 2. P162 29.31 7.80 4. State schemes/govt agencies 17.18 16.57 3. P135 28.39 7.56 National average 18.93 18.88 4. P194 29.09 7.75 Source: MPOB (various issues). 5. P149 30.8 7.25 6. P200 29.1 7.74 7. P203 30.8 8.01

2 TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND NEW GROWTH AREAS OF THE OIL PALM INDUSTRY efficient with minimal clonal GMOs have become more human health, oil palm estates abnormalities produced. MPOB acceptable to all. must adhere to adopting integrated has also developed molecular pest management. This includes markers for detecting tissue culture OPTIMIZING LAND USE the use of biological control. The abnormality and a tracking system barn owl, Ty to alba javanica, for for quality control and Commercial oil palm planting is example is being encouraged to identification of clones. It is now mainly monoculture with little control rats (Smal, 1989) and working on a bioreactor for mass livestock and crop integration (a fungus) tissue culture. (LCI) for fear of damaging the to control rhinoceros beetle, MPOB ventured into bio- palms and causing a loss in yield. Oryctes rhinoceros (Ramle et al., technology to give the oil palm Yet, technological advances have 2006). Against bagworms, MPOB industry a competitive edge. Today, shown that integrated farming is has developed a biopesticide based MPOB has the most com- possible with livestock rearing and on (Bt) (Siti prehensive biotechnology pro- inter-cropping. There are already Ramlah et al., 2005a, b). This Bt gramme on oil palm in the world. successful LCI programmes in product is toxic only to the target Besides tissue culture, MPOB has various plantations in Malaysia. but harmless to humans also ventured into genetic While oil palm remains the anchor and non-target insects. engineering. However, no crop, LCI will allow the industry Parasitioids play a role in genetically modified oil palm has to diversify and optimize its land suppressing the bagworm yet been produced commercially use. population (Basri et al., 1995). and Malaysian palm oil is still LCI requires the oil palm to be Several flowering plants common GMO-free. MPOB has developed planted at wider spacing, as for in plantations provide nectar for tools and techniques for genetic example, in double avenues, which the parasitoids. Field studies engineering of oil palm. The tools have been shown to have no showed that these parasitoids are and techniques include iden- adverse effects on yield. In- highly attracted to the plant, Cassia tification of enzymes in the between, cash crops can be cobanensis (Basri et al., 2001). This pathway, isolation of relevant planted, even when the palms are is particularly so for the parasitoids genes, isolation of promoters to at matured stage, and/or livestock associated with the bagworm, ensure that the manipulated gene reared (Yusof and Suboh, 1998), Metisa plana. Planting more Cassia is targeted to the mesocarp and not generating extra income cobanensis will encourage more of other parts of the palm and the throughout the life of the palms. these natural enemies to control development of techniques for Crops such as hill paddy, sweet the bagworm (Basri and Norman, introducing the manipulated gene corn, yam, yellow sugar cane, 2002). Technological deve- into the oil palm. MPOB is the first pineapple, melon, banana and even lopments in integrated pest and only organization in the world soyabean have been shown to management will, in the long-run, to have high oleate and high produce reasonable returns to contribute towards sustainability of stearate transgenic oil palm investment. Under-grazing mature the oil palm industry. plantlets in the nursery (under oil palm with cattle has also been strictly controlled conditions). In shown by MPOB to be MILLING TECHNOLOGY AND the area of genomics, MPOB has economically and technically EXTRACTION OF BIOACTIVES developed and presented to the viable prompting 78 estates to FROM POME industry for adoption, techniques venture into cattle rearing (Rosli, on DNA fingerprinting and 1998). Apart from the extra Malaysia has the largest palm oil chromosome painting. revenue from selling the cattle, milling industry in the world. As far as biotechnology for oil weeding cost can be reduced by Palm oil production has increased palm is concerned, the short- to grazing. from a mere 431 069 t in 1970 to medium-term potential lies in 15.90 million tonnes in 2006, and effective propagation of high BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF is forecast to increase further to performance clones through tissue PESTS 16.6 million tonnes in 2010 and culture. In the long-run, 20.5 million tonnes in 2020. The genetically engineered oil palm To maintain productivity, expected increases are envisaged to with identified traits such as high pesticides are used to control pests. come from higher productivity disease resistance and However, with increasing through replanting of old palms other selected characteristics will environmental concern and with higher yielding materials, be desirable, especially when adverse effects of pesticides on better plantation management and

3 OIL PALM INDUSTRY ECONOMIC JOURNAL (VOL. 7(1)/2007) more efficient processing practices. growing, hundred billion ringgit and India. Technological development in nutraceuticals market. The Palm oil is popularly used in palm oil milling is important to phenolics and antioxidants both solid fat products as well as increase the efficiency of extracted from POME have been in liquid form as , processing, reduce labour found to have antioxidant especially for industrial frying. It requirement and minimize the properties and potent protective offers several technical advantages, discharge of pollutants into the effects against cancer and such as resistance to oxidation, environment. In the past, palm oil atherosclerosis in and cell conferring a longer shelf-life to the mills caused severe air and water culture systems. Patents have been products. Palm oil is ideally suited pollution and emitted stench. filed for the process and products, for shortenings and margarines as Today, all the 397 mills in the from this palm mill waste. it has 20% – 22% solid fat content country with a combined annual at 20ºC, which helps in the capacity to process 86.24 million EXPANDING THE FOOD USES formulation of fat products tonnes of FFB stringently adhere OF PALM OIL requiring a variable range in to the Environmental Quality Act consistency. It tends to crystallize on effluent discharge. The Technological development in food in beta-prime form with small conditions have, in fact, become applications has kept pace with the crystals, a property desirable for more stringent over time as better dynamism of the palm oil industry many applications, in particular, technologies for effluent treatment in satisfying consumer demand. table and industrial margarines. came about. Most of the mills now Palm oil is now widely used in a Palm oil also has other functional participate in the competency wide range of food products. In attributes that make it a valuable scheme of MPOB to produce the 1960s and early 1970s, ingredient in food formulations. In quality products with better OER. Malaysia exported palm oil mainly many applications, palm oil can be The OER depends much on the in its crude form. In the mid 1970s, combined with harder fractions quality of FFB. The grading in line with the industrialization such as to produce standard developed by MPOB has policy of the government, the products of the required helped mills improve their OER. country moved towards greater consistency without hydro- There is no compromise now on value addition by producing palm genation. Common products made unripe bunches with the mills oil products in various fractions from palm oil and oil, refusing to accept them anymore. and refined forms for specific needs wholly or in blends with other oils, Many mills are also gearing up for of the market. This entail deve- include frying and cooking oils, ISO certification and GMP status. loping the requisite technologies shortenings, vanaspati, margarines With the establishment of the Palm for refining, bleaching, deo- and spreads, confectionary and Oil Milling Technology Centre dorization, fractionation and non-dairy products. (POMTEC) at MPOB, new related processes. Today, the Besides the above traditional technologies are being developed. refining sector in Malaysia has products, the changing trends in One of them is continuous grown to become the biggest palm lifestyles and demands for novel sterilization (Sivasothy et al., 2005) oil refining industry in the world consumer products based on which is more amenable to with 51 refineries in total, able to convenience and health automation than the conventional process 18.50 million tonnes of considerations have led to the batch processing and allow labour crude palm oil (CPO) annually. development of new food products requirement to be reduced. The main products of the from palm oil and its fractions. Research in MPOB has refining industry include refined, MPOB has done its share of work confirmed the presence of potent bleached and deodorized palm oil in formulating new products to water-soluble antioxidants, mainly (RBDPO), RBD palm olein, RBD meet the demand. The new flavonoids and polyphenols, in oil palm stearin and palm mid applications for palm oil in foods palm mesocarp. During milling, fractions. These are mainly used for include being a specialty animal these antioxidants are discarded cooking or frying, shortenings, fats replacer (SAFaRTM) for beef and with the effluent (POME). A margarines, vanaspati (vegetable chicken fat in sausages and burger simple process for extraction of the ghee) and confectionary fats. Palm patties. Exciting products from phenolics and flavonoids has been oil is now widely consumed and new processes such as red palm oil developed. Phenolics from oil palm represents one-quarter of the edible or red palm olein which contain present an exceptional opportunity oils and fats consumed in the high levels of carotenes have been for the Malaysian oil palm industry world. The major users are China, introduced as healthy cooking and to enter the vibrant and rapidly European Union, Pakistan, Egypt salad oils. Palm oil has also been

4 TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND NEW GROWTH AREAS OF THE OIL PALM INDUSTRY

blended with soft oils to produce of these and other palm-based sulphates - are extensively used in a final product (Smart BalanceTM) minor components in the health- the production of washing and with a 1:1:1 ratio of saturates, related industries presents cleaning products. Fatty amines monounsaturates and poly- opportunities for the palm oil are mainly used in the detergent unsaturates which satisfies the industry to add value to them. industry as softening agents, in the American Heart Association’s Step mining industry as anti-caking 1 Dietary recommendation for a OLEOCHEMICALS agent, as biocides and in road healthy diet. Some other food building and other applications. products from R&D still Palm oil and are Substitution of the non-renewable undergoing commercialization used to produce oleochemicals. and synthetic petrochemical include palm-based low saturated The Malaysian oleochemicals products by these ‘green’ oil with cold stability, palm-based industry began in 1980 with a mere oleochemicals is expected to mozzarella cheese and sprayable 10 000 t a year capacity, and has increase, especially in Europe and palm-based cooking oil. since grown to produce about two the Americas. million tonnes a year, or 20% of the Technology will also play an FUNCTIONAL FOOD world production. This industry in important role in expanding the COMPONENTS: NEW Malaysia generated more than USD use of oleochemical end-products GROWTH AREAS 1.3 billion in 2005 through the hitherto produced from petro- exports of mainly basic chemicals. End-products from Palm oil is an important source of oleochemicals, viz., fatty acids, oleochemicals include soaps, natural minor components like fatty esters, fatty alcohols, fatty surfactants, polyols and polyure- phytonutrients such as caro- amines, and glycerin and soap thanes, cosmetics and personal tenoids, tocotrienols, tocopherols, noodles. These basic oleochemicals care products. In particular, it is sterols and squalene. However, are usually synthesized into expected that production of alpha much of them are destroyed or derivatives which are then used to sulphonated methyl ester for discarded in conventional refining. produce the end-products. detergents will increase. This will Special processing conditions can Oleochemicals compete with be aided by palm-based be used to produce red palm oil petrochemicals in various oleochemicals being cheaper than with the carotenes retained. CPO applications. The advantages of their petroleum-based coun- contains 500-700 ppm carotenes, oleochemicals over petrochemicals terparts, and increased availability which are pro-vitamin A, and 600- are their biodegradability and of methyl ester feedstock from 1000 ppm tocopherols and renewablility, which contribute higher production of winter tocotrienols (vitamin E). The towards environmental sus- from palm oil. carotenes may be extracted after tainability. With growing Another product that is transesterification of the oil into environmental sensitivity and with expected to feature prominently is methyl esters (for biodiesel), while it, the increasing demand for eco- palm-based polyol and the end- the tocotrienols and tocopherols friendly products, palm-based product, polyurethane. MPOB has, gravitate as palm fatty acid products are beginning to gain jointly with another party, patented distillate, a by-product of the greater popularity, especially with a process to convert palm oil into physical refining process, and can the recent sharp volatility in polyol. The polyol can then be used be extracted by esterification, petroleum prices. to produce polyurethane by molecular distillation and ion Technological development can reacting with isocyanates using exchange. Extraction of phyto- be expected to move the present water as blowing agent. The world nutrients, including sterols and production of basic oleochemicals production of polyurethane in squalene, has been done using to higher value derivatives and 2005 was about 13.7 million supercritical fluid/supercritical even some end-products. Higher tonnes of which 4.9 million tonnes fluid chromatography. value derivatives are used in were flexible polyurethane. This These phytonutrients can be various industries such as textile, volume of production would used as nutraceuticals, pharma- cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and require about 3 million tonnes of ceuticals and food supplements. At plastic. Although fatty alcohols polyol. There is therefore much present, only palm-based carotenes find limited use, their derivatives - potential in this area for and vitamin E are commercially fatty sulphates, fatty alcohol substitution of petroleum-based produced in Malaysia. The promise ethoxylates and fatty alcohol ether polyol with palm-based polyol.

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POTENTIAL OF BIOMASS commercial plant in Sabah. of biogas and biomass for power Oil palm biomass is also a generation may contribute further The oil palm industry in Malaysia potential raw material for the revenue to the country. For produces about 100 million tonnes chemical and biochemical example, methane (biogas) will of biomass (wet weight) as empty industries. The cellulose com- fetch about USD10 a tonne of fruit bunches, fronds and trunks. ponent can be hydrolysed to yield tradable carbon under the Kyoto This rich resource has yet to be glucose from which ethanol, citric Protocol when it comes into effect fully exploited. Technological acid, butanol and single-cell in 2008. development in the utilization of protein can be obtained through Apart from solid and gaseous oil palm biomass will become chemical and microbiological forms of energy, the palm oil important in the future as the transformation. Hemicelluloses in industry is also a potential supplier potential is enormous. Oil palm is the biomass can yield pentoses, of liquid energy. MPOB has shown a dual purpose forest – besides especially xylose, which can be that palm oil can be used directly producing oil, it is a prolific source hydrolysed to produce xylitol, as liquid fuel or used to produce of biomass and fibre which are furfural, furan, resins and furfuryl biodiesel. Palm oil can be burnt available throughout the year. alcohol. The lignin in oil palm directly in purpose-built Elsbett These can be used as raw materials biomass is a potential source of engines. During the 2001 plunge to replace wood in value-added phenolic resins. in palm oil prices, it was also intermediate and finished shown that CPO can be blended products. Oil palm biomass is the ENERGY with medium fuel oil to fire boilers, answer to the growing concern the blend tested in the power plant over forest conservation. Besides the above uses, the biomass at Prai, Pulau Pinang. A blend of Technologies for the production of and oil can be used to produce 5% refined, bleached and products such as pulp and paper, energy. The biomass generated in deodorized palm olein with 95% medium density fibreboard, palm oil mills, such as empty fruit diesel can be used directly in moulded particleboard, oil palm bunches, fibre and shell, can be normal diesel engines without any plywood and other products are used to produce electricity. They need for modification. Malaysia is already available. are already used to produce steam, currently preparing the regulatory At MPOB, the Biomass heat and electricity to the mills, framework to sell the diesel blend Technology Centre has made good and it is just a small step to send as Envo diesel, using an expected progress and launched a range of the power to the national grid. All 0.5 million tonnes of palm oil products. However, commer- palm oil mills are self sufficient in annually. cialization is still in its infancy. energy. Although the individual However, the bigger potential is Some industry players can already mill generates only about 1–2 MW to convert palm oil into methyl produce good quality fibre strands electricity, their sheer numbers and esters (palm biodiesel). Road trials from empty fruit bunches for use the large volume of biomass with buses have shown that the in mattresses, seats and insulation. available will make them biodiesel can be a diesel substitute. The fibre can also be woven into inconsequential generating force The palm diesel plant can also mats for mulching and erosion for the country. extract beta carotenes and vitamin control. These mats have been Anaerobic digestion of palm oil E (if CPO is used as feedstock) to tested in China to alleviate the mill effluent produces biogas. It is enhance the viability of the effects of sandstorms, combat estimated that about 20 000 m3 of biodiesel project. As more palm oil desertification and for slope biogas can be obtained a day from is used for energy, the demand for erosion control. a 60-t/hr FFB mill working for 20 palm oil will increase. With the Another application of oil palm hr a day. The technology is already option to use palm oil for biofuel, biomass is the production of available to harness the biogas from there is now a safety net supporting plywood. Some 70 000 ha of oil effluent ponds for power the palm oil price. The future of palm are expected to be replanted generation. If the biogas can be the palm oil industry may well annually, yielding 9 million trunks used for mill’s own needs, the fibre hinge on its development as a which can be converted into 1.6 and kernel shell can then be used biofuel. Recognizing this, Malaysia million cubic metres of plywood. to generate power for sale or for and Indonesia have recently agreed Production of pulp and paper from composite fibreboard production to allocate up to 40% of their CPO oil palm biomass will soon start (Ravi, 2006). In the future, the production for biodiesel. with the setting up of a full scale carbon credits earned from the use

6 TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND NEW GROWTH AREAS OF THE OIL PALM INDUSTRY

Biodiesel initiatives are FUTURE SCENARIOS developed to extract phyto- multiplying throughout the world nutrients from palm oil. More with increasing concern over Palm oil is the most traded oleochemicals-based end-products energy security and the in the world. The will be commercialized. There will environment. In Europe, methyl demand for it will continue to be increased commercialization of esters from rapeseed oil as diesel increase with rising consumer certain biomass products such as fuel have had good acceptance. income and population growth. oil palm plywood. The palm oil There are two driving forces for The future scenario remains bright. industry will become a major this. Firstly is the need to divert Technology will pave the way for source of energy from solid surplus rapeseed oil to fuel to expansion of the palm oil industry (biomass), liquid (palm oil) and dispose of stocks. Secondly, by creating new uses for palm oil, gas (biogas from palm oil mill concern over global warming has developing new products, effluent). stoked up public support for enhancing product quality, renewable fuels. New legislations increasing food safety and CONCLUSION and government incentives increasing production efficiency strongly support the use of and sustainability. More clones Over the last four decades, palm oil biofuels, particularly biodiesel. with ever higher yield potential and has been the driving force in the The EU goal for biodiesel in disease resistance will be planted. world of edible oils and fats. transport is for it to constitute 2% Genetically modified oil palm with Endowed with good technical of the total diesel consumption of high oleic oil will be introduced. attributes and economic advan- about 160 million tonnes in 2005, The use of more environmental- tage, it has seen off the keen increasing gradually to 5.75% in friendly biocides will increase. competition to become the most 2010. In Malaysia, the potential of Palm oil mills will become produced and consumed oil. It palm biodiesel has attracted much automated and more efficient. beckons users by its price, investor interest. Some 65 licences Livestock and other crops will be technical superiority in a multitude have been approved for production integrated with oil palm using of edible and non-edible with a total capacity of 10 million double avenue planting. More applications and its assured year- tonnes a year. One MPOB plant of blends of oil and fat products in the round availability. Continued 60 000 t a year capacity is already style of Smart BalanceTM and research and development is in operation, with the facility to SAFaRTM will be formulated to crucial for the industry to sustain produce 30 000 t of winter grade meet the varied nutritional its competitiveness edge, and, in palm biodiesel, and another two demands by consumers. Efficient this regard, technology will pave its similar ones in the offing. and cost-effective processes will be way forward in shaping the future of the oil palm industry.

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