Present and prospective development in the palm oil processing industry

Abstract

Malaysia the leading producer of palm oil , is now also the major producer and exporter of processed palm oil (PPO). Since 1977 she has been exporting PPO in increasing amounts. As a result about 50% of world production of palm oil is now traded as PPO in the international market. Currently, Malaysia has processing capacity far exceeding her production of crude palm oil . Guaranteed capacities for physical refining, fractionation and chemical neutralization are 12 075, 9 940 and 4 949 metric tons (MT) per day, respectively. These can be increased to 16 285, 12 705 and 6 170 per day, respectively by some modification and rationalization. Thus, Malaysia is greated to cope with increased production of PPO at least up to 1990. The PPO products exported are the results of primary down streaming of crude palm oil. The production and export of these products are very well established. The emphasis is now on further food ingredients, non food applications and finished products such as shortenings, margarines, cocoa butter replacer fats and oleochemicals both for local consumption and export. By the end of the decade, Malaysia is likely to become a center for the manufacture of basic oleochemicals and their derivatives.