What are palm oil trees?

Palm oil trees are tropical plants that come from Western Africa, but now they are grown in many areas as agricultural crops. Plantations now exist throughout Africa and South America, as well as other areas that develop them on a large scale and process oil for commercial sales. Palm oil manufacturers have made these trees top fruit trees in the world. However, since more plantations are formed, it often destroys rainforests and peat bogs that have created a number of environmental problems.

While palm oil trees grow from 60 to 80 feet (18 to 24 m) tall, trees that are grown for their fruit are usually kept cut to less than 30 feet (9.1 m) to facilitate harvesting. They do not require a large amount of growing space and up to 58 trees are planted in one acre. Individual trees do not produce side branches, but one tall trunk with very long leaf leaves and fruit at the top. Older trees are often killed when they become an attachiš big canvite space for more productive younger trees.

Palm oil trees will grow virtually any type of soil if they have enough water and direct sunlight. They walk in tropical lowlands and peat, which receive up to 6 feet (1.8 m) of rain per year. Hot temperatures between 80 ° and 90 ° Fahrenheit (26.7 ° to 32.2 ° C) are optimal for growing palm oil trees. This range will grow more slowly and will also take longer to produce fruit.

Palm oil fruits are called drupes, and each mature female tree produces 200 to 300 each year. The elongated fruits range from 1 to 2 inches (2.5 cm), and matures for about 5 months. When they ripen, they change color from green to orange and can be partially black or brown. The oil is obtained from small white seeds inside the fruit.

Palm oil industry employment of steps to obtain oil from fruit.First, they are sterilized by steam and then crushed and heated; The oil is then pushed and then clarified. Before ready for commercial sale, it is deodorized and refined, which removes fatty acids, pigments and phospholipids. After all these processes, bleached and refined palm oil is ready to pack and transport to retail stores. Large mills can process up to 60 tons of fruit per hour, while small rural village mills on average only one ton in eight hours.

In many areas where palm oil trees are grown, the natural environment is destroyed. The rainforests are limited and the peat bogs are released and, as a result, habitats for many animals, including the tiger of the Sumatran, the rhinos Sumatran and the orangutan, are eliminated. The greenhouse gas emissions also increase with the production of palm oil.

Many companies now also part of a round table for sustainable palm oil trying to dealias with palm oil manufacturers. They try to force businesses to produce palm oil in a way that is safe for the environment. Consumers can help in buying palm oil, which is certified sustainable, or using other oils such as oils that produce corn, chair and rapeseed oil. These oils are not only safer for the environment, but also healthier.