• How has palm oil production changed since the 1960s?
  • Palm oil production has increased rapidly since the 1960s. Between 1970 and 2020, the world¡¯s production of palm oil increased by about 40 times. Global production went from only 2 million tonnes to around 80 million tonnes. The change in global production is shown in the chart.3
  • How much land is used to grow palm oil?
  • Between 1970 and 2020, the land the world uses to grow palm has increased by almost ten times, from 3 million to almost 30 million hectares. Indonesia and Malaysia account for around 70% of global land use for palm oil. This is relatively little, considering that these countries account for more than 80% of production.
  • How much palm oil does Ghana produce per hectare?
  • While a typical company expects palm oil yields of 20 tonnes per hectare, local smallholders struggle to generate more than a tenth of this. The pattern is the same across the region. In Ghana, smallholders farm eight times more land for palm oil than large companies, but account for less than a quarter of production.
  • What is the world’s largest palm oil biodiesel plant?
  • The world’s largest palm oil biodiesel plant is the €550 million Finnish-operated Neste Oil biodiesel plant in Singapore, which opened in 2011 with a capacity of 800,000 tons per year and produces hydrodeoxygenated NEXBTL biodiesel from palm oil imported from Malaysia and Indonesia. [ 35 ][ 36 ]
  • What is red palm oil?
  • The result of basic processing is called a “crude palm oil” [ 24 ] or a ” red palm oil “, referring to its intense color due to the high carotenoid content. [ 25 ] Red palm oil is a traditional cooking oil in West Africa. The free fatty acids within provide a “bite” to the flavor. [ 24 ]
  • How much palm oil is used for biofuels?
  • Bioenergy: 5% is used as biofuels for transport, electricity, or heat. While food products dominate globally, this breakdown varies from country to country. Some countries use much more palm oil for biofuels than others. In Germany, for example, bioenergy is the largest use, accounting for 41% (more than food at 40%).