By Dr. Chatura Rodrigo (Ph.D)

Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil produced from the reddish fruit of the oil palm. It’s the most consumed edible oil in the world. Contrary to popular opinion, it’s also one of the most sustainable and economically viable crops in the world. To illustrate, only 5% of the world’s vegetable oil farmland is used for oil palm cultivation, but palm oil accounts for 38% of global vegetable oil supplies. In fact, palm oil is more than 10 times more productive (per hectare) than soybean, sunflower or rapeseed oil (IISD, 2019).

At this juncture, when Sri Lanka needs to produce as much edible oil as possible locally, palm oil is by far the most sustainable, economical and responsible choice. Thus, let us look at some of the most important concerns raised about palm oil and what the reality is, behind the propaganda.

Common Palm Oil Myths That Aren’t True

It Reduces Forest Cover

In Sri Lanka, this is not true at all, as cultivation is strictly regulated; expressly prohibiting the conversion of natural forests into oil palm plantations. Only existing cultivated land can be used for oil palms provided that such land is no longer suitable for coconut or rubber; usually after several planting cycles or crop disease (CEA,2018). As a result, some oil palm plantations have emerged on land, below an elevation of 300m in the wet zone, which would otherwise have become abandoned. No virgin forests have been destroyed by palm oil cultivation in its 50+ year history in Sri Lanka.

It Affects Rainfall, Depletes Ground Water

This one is based on half-truths but is simply not true. Yes, one oil palm tree consumes approximately 249 litres of water per day, compared with only 63 litres per rubber tree. But what you’re not being told is that the planting densities of these crops are vastly different. When this is accounted for, and water consumption is measured per hectare of planted land, the difference between the two is minimal; 31,500 litres per hectare per day for rubber and 34,680 for oil palms (Danjain, 2011).

As far as ground water is concerned, oil palms are cultivated in regions with an average annual rainfall in excess of 3,500mm. The crop has been shown to consume only 1,300mm of this, leaving no basis for concern, whatsoever. In fact, we now have more than 50 years of historic data with regard to oil palm cultivation in the Galle district and there hasn’t been a single complaint or report with regard to water shortages caused by oil palms.

It’s Bad for the Environment and Uses Excessive Chemical Fertilization

While oil palms do require more fertilizer than rubber, this requirement can be offset through the use of soil and foliar based site-specific fertilizers (Goh et al., 2009). The solid waste from palm oil manufacture can be further used as organic manure and fuel to generate renewable energy; often resulting in energy self-sufficiency for palm oil factories and 90%-95% chemical-free water effluents, which are easily treated (Sung,2016)

Thus, in reality, instead of adversely impacting the environment, palm oil plantations can actually contribute towards a better environment by reducing greenhouse gasses, conserving soil and contributing towards the natural water cycle; especially when managed in line with good agricultural practices (Nirmala et al, 2019). The crop requires less chemical use in terms of managing pests and diseases when compared to those used for coconut (Chung, 2012)

It Threatens “Good” Crops; Tea, Rubber & Coconut

In Sri Lanka, there is no threat to these crops from oil palms. The law limits the extent of cultivation to 20,000ha, less than 3% of land used for agricultural crops as per the PMMD. Even supposing this was to change, rubber and coconut do well in the intermediate climatic zones of Sri Lanka, where plenty of underutilized land exists, while oil palms are viable only in the wet zone. Thus, there is no threat. It’s also good to bear in mind that all plantation crops are, in fact, domesticated forest species, cultivated in line with the guidelines issued by the relevant governing body, such as the coconut research institute (CRI) or the rubber research institute (RRI).

It Causes Soil Erosion

No, it doesn’t. Soil erosion and landslides aren’t crop-related. Instead, they result from poor soil management. Still, oil palms are planted only on terrain with a gradient of less than 23 degrees, as advocated by the CRI (CEA,2018) If steep land is to be used, it is mandatory in Sri Lanka to implement appropriate soil conservation techniques, such as contour planting, stone terracing, contour and main drains, ground cover, live hedges and others. These practices ensure zero contribution to landslides by oil palm plantations.

The myth of soil erosion arises from various international studies investigating changes to soil properties as a result of converting natural forest to palm oil monoculture; and are true for any such conversion to monoculture, not just palm oil. Therefore, these reports have no relevance for Sri Lanka as palm oil cultivation is only permitted on land that has an existing crop that has outlived its economic lifespan. Presently, rubber plantations being converted to oil palms have seen about 5 generations of rubber crops and, in these circumstances, crop rotation is a well-established and provably beneficial agronomic practice as per the CRI guidelines.

Not a Problem, But a Solution

Once the facts about palm oil are understood, it becomes clear to any rational, reasonable observer that, at least for Sri Lanka, palm oil is a sustainable, viable solution to our present problems; an edible oil shortage amidst economic challenges, coupled with aging plantations and soils in desperate need of crop diversification and rejuvenation.

Article by:

Dr. Chatura Rodrigo (Ph.D)

Agriculture and Environment Economist

Founder

Green Space Consultancies

No 294/14, Hansa Giri Road, Gampaha, Sri Lanka.

Tel: 94 33 22 25653

Mob: 94 770210777, 94 77 693 6449

E mail: chatura_rodrigo@yahoo.com

https://chaturarodrigo.wordpress.com/

References:

Chung, G.F. 2012. Effect of Pests and Diseases on Oil Palm Yield. Palm Oil. pp 163-210.

Goh, K.J., Ng, P.H.C., Lee, C.T. 2009. Fertilizer Management and Productivity of Oil Palm in Malaysia. BioTechnology and Sustainability.

Naan Danjain Irrigation C.S Ltd Israel. 2011.

Kaniapan S., Hassan S., Ya H., Nesan P.K. 2021. The Utilisation of Palm Oil and Oil Palm Residues and the Related Challenges as a Sustainable Alternative in Biofuel,

Bioenergy, and Transportation Sector: A Review. Mechanical Engineering Department, pp.1-25.

Sung C.T.B. 2016. Availability, use, and removal of oil palm biomass in Indonesia. Dept. Land Management, Fac. of Agriculture, Uni. Putra Malaysia

Seneviratne P., Hitinayake G., Arachige N., Silva A., Manthrinayake S., Dharmasena P., Karunarathne A.G.D.L., Ranasinghe S. 2018. A study to identify environmental and social issues of oil palm cultivation in Sri Lanka. Central Environmental Authority.

Voora, L., Bermudez, B. 2019. ‘Global Market Report: Palm Oil’. The International Institute for Sustainable Development.