• Latest
Oil Rich Palm Groves Of Sri Lanka

Oil Rich Palm Groves Of Sri Lanka

December 2, 2022
Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Investec Cape Town Art Fair

March 3, 2023
Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development

Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development

March 3, 2023
DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

March 3, 2023
A Walk Down Cobblers’ Street

A Walk Down Cobblers’ Street

March 3, 2023
The Colombo Cultural Show: A Soiree into Sri Lanka’s Heart

The Colombo Cultural Show: A Soiree into Sri Lanka’s Heart

February 7, 2023
Kandy Central Market: The epitome of local ambiance

Kandy Central Market: The epitome of local ambiance

February 7, 2023
The Art of Local Writing

The Art of Local Writing

February 7, 2023
Carnival Magic

Carnival Magic

February 7, 2023
Ponniyin Selvan 1: Leveraging the Lure of History and the Power of Storytelling

Ponniyin Selvan 1: Leveraging the Lure of History and the Power of Storytelling

January 11, 2023
Rumination and Emotional Process

Rumination and Emotional Process

January 13, 2023
Segar Represents Sri Lanka in Asia Art Bienniale in Dhaka

Segar Represents Sri Lanka in Asia Art Bienniale in Dhaka

January 11, 2023
Good Conversations Start with Mlesna

Good Conversations Start with Mlesna

January 11, 2023
Retail
Friday, March 24, 2023
Subscription
Advertise
  • Home
  • Issues
    • 201_
      • 2010
        • January 2010
        • February 2010
        • March 2010
        • April 2010
        • May 2010
        • June 2010
        • July 2010
        • August 2010
        • September 2010
        • October 2010
        • November 2010
        • December 2010
      • 2011
        • January 2011
        • February 2011
        • March 2011
        • April 2011
        • May 2011
        • June 2011
        • July 2011
        • August 2011
        • September 2011
        • October 2011
        • November 2011
        • December 2011
      • 2012
        • January 2012
        • February 2012
        • March 2012
        • April 2012
        • May 2012
        • June 2012
        • July 2012
        • August 2012
        • September 2012
        • October 2012
        • November 2012
        • December 2012
      • 2013
        • January 2013
        • February 2013
        • March 2013
        • April 2013
        • May 2013
        • June 2013
        • July 2013
        • August 2013
        • September 2013
        • October 2013
        • November 2013
        • December 2013
      • 2014
        • January 2014
        • February 2014
        • March 2014
        • April 2014
        • May 2014
        • June 2014
        • July 2014
        • August 2014
        • September 2014
        • October 2014
        • November 2014
        • December 2014
      • 2015
        • January 2015
        • February 2015
        • March 2015
        • April 2015
        • May 2015
        • June 2015
        • July 2015
        • August 2015
        • September 2015
        • October 2015
        • November 2015
        • December 2015
      • 2016
        • January 2016
        • February 2016
        • March 2016
        • April 2016
        • May 2016
        • June 2016
        • July 2016
        • August 2016
        • September 2016
        • October 2016
        • November 2016
        • December 2016
      • 2017
        • January 2017
        • February 2017
        • March 2017
        • April 2017
        • May 2017
        • June 2017
        • July 2017
        • August 2017
        • September 2017
        • October 2017
        • November 2017
        • December 2017
      • 2018
        • January 2018
        • February 2018
        • March 2018
        • April 2018
        • May 2018
        • June 2018
        • July 2018
        • August 2018
        • November 2018
        • December 2018
      • 2019
        • January 2019
        • February 2019
        • March 2019
        • April 2019
        • May 2019
        • June 2019
        • July 2019
        • August 2019
        • September 2019
        • October 2019
        • November 2019
        • December 2019
    • 202_
      • 2020
        • January 2020
        • February 2020
        • March 2020
        • September 2020
        • October 2020
        • November 2020
        • December 2020
      • 2021
        • January 2021
        • February 2021
        • March 2021
        • April 2021
        • May 2021
        • June 2021
        • July 2021
        • August 2021
        • September 2021
        • October 2021
        • November 2021
        • December 2021
      • 2022
        • January 2022
        • February 2022
        • March 2022
        • April 2022
        • May 2022
        • June 2022
        • July 2022
        • August 2022
        • September 2022
        • October 2022
        • November 2022
        • December 2022
      • 2023
        • January 2023
        • February 2023
        • March 2023
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Archive
  • Find Us on Magzter
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result

Oil Rich Palm Groves Of Sri Lanka

in Featured, January 2015
0 0
0
Young palm tended in nursery

Sri Lanka discovered she held the secret of producing the world’s number two vegetable oil in the palm of her hand only in the late 1960s, when it was successfully shown that the ideal conditions for the palm tree to thrive existed in this country’s garden paradise.

Words and Photographs Manu Gunasena

In 1968, a British planter named Jerry Wales experimented with 68 palm plants by planting them at Nakiadeniya Estate, the then largest 3,500 tea and rubber plantation in the land, situated a few miles from Galle. In this low wetland zone, the soil was less acidic, not too sandy and not too gravelly. The temperature hovered between the optimum range of less than 300ºC and over 180ºC, even at night. The rainfall averaged an annual 2,500mm and was evenly distributed throughout the year, plus there was an average of six hours of indispensable sunshine a day. It provided ideal conditions for palm trees not only to grow but also to produce fruits in quantities that made their cultivation economically viable.

From the cradle of Nakiadeniya, the palm soon spread to Matara and Kalutara districts, which share similar climates. The combined palm oil production of those three districts has lowered the import bill by 15 percent, with greater reduction in sight. Plans are afoot to extend palm cultivation to Ratnapura, Kegalle and the Colombo districts. The Nakiadeniya plantation, managed by Watawala Plantations, a privatised regional plantation company, is the biggest palm estate in Sri Lanka with 3,000 acres under cultivation and produces half of the total of Sri Lankan palm oil output.

The production process at Nakiadeniya starts with the soaking of pre-heated imported palm seeds in water. They are then placed on gunnies until they turn grey. When they do, they are transferred into airtight bags which are inspected every two days and checked for fungus. If they are dry, they are sprayed with water to keep them moist. Generally germination takes place after two days.

Germinated seeds are removed and placed on a tray covered with polythene. Within 15 to 20 days they shoot and the root shows. They are then transplanted in small polythene bags where they remain for 30 days until, depending on the growth rate, they are transplanted into bigger bags. This happens when they produce three fronds and a shoot, proof that they have attained their palm puberty and are destined for greater heights.

These saplings are kept in the nursery for a period of 14 months after which those who have made the grade and qualified for adult membership, are transplanted to their permanent soil beds. For planting, spacing between the trees is kept at 9m x 9m x 9m. This triangular configuration enables the trees to receive adequate sunshine unhindered by the shade cast by surrounding trees. A hectare can hold 35 trees planted according to this formation. At present a hectare at Nakiadeniya produces on average 17 tons per year. The challenge is to increase the output.

After a further period of two and a half years the palm, having grown to a height of two and a half feet, begins to demonstrate its raison d’être; and all the tender love and care extended to the young plant, finally begin to fruit. But despite the precautions taken, the flower of Nakiadeniya’s hopes is not without its perils. As the fruits start to appear, birds peck it, boars dig it, rats gnaw it and squirrels chew it. Even the odd porcupine picks on it. Keeping the pest attack at bay is a perennial problem for planters and various methods are deployed to counter the threats, with constant vigilance observed at all times.

At Nakiadeniya, the agronomics of the owning company dictate that harvesting be done once every ten days. The objective is not only to obtain a crop but also to get the optimum bunch weight and the number of bunches per tree. Attention is paid to three stress factors that inhibit the tree from coming up with the economically vital, targeted numbers. These three are nutrient adequacy, sufficient soil moisture, and attention to the number of fronds on the tree. Lack of these requirements may render the flower to be of male gender in which case the inflorescent will not bear fruit.

Sri Lanka, though still a small time player, will be hoping one day to take her due place amongst palm giants and yield her palm to none

Once the harvesting, which is done manually with a long pole, is complete the focus is on getting the crop to the factory as quickly as possible. The moment the bunch is dislodged from the tree, time becomes of the essence. The oil begins to convert into pre fatty acid and processing must commence to preserve the ‘oilage’.

At the Nakiadeniya mill the crop is first inspected. The orange colour of the fruit will show that it is ripe enough to be extracted for oil. The fruit bunches are sterilised in the sterilisation tower to loosen the fruit’s grip on the stalk and to make it more malleable for separation.

It is then placed in a mechanical stripper, which rotates causing the fruits to be separated. Next it’s fed into a ‘digestor’, a cylindrical vessel to make the fruit pulpy. Pressing follows where two screws rotate with the fruit in the middle but this does not damage the kernel. All the oil and water and traces of fibre are squeezed out and transferred to a screen that filters the fibre.

The oil and water mix is then sent to a clarifier. The mixture is subjected to 90ºC continuous heating process, which separates the oil from the water and causes it to rise to the surface. The oil is collected from a fixed funnel and transported to storage tanks. It is now ready to be sold as crude oil.

Meanwhile through another process the kernel is separated and sent to a dryer. Here kernel oil is extracted; the residue left is used as poonac. The reddish crude oil in the tanks undergoes a refining process called Refined Bleached Deodorised (RBD) where the free fatty acid is removed. Two important by-products result, namely, RBD Palm Olein which is vegetable oil used for cooking, and RBD Palm Steering which is used to make soap products, candles and lubricating greases. Kernel oil is used to make margarine, chocolate confections and pharmaceuticals.

Sri Lanka, though still a small time player, will be hoping one day to take her due place amongst palm giants and yield her palm to none.

 

Tags: Organic
TweetShareShare

Search

No Result
View All Result

Recent News

Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Investec Cape Town Art Fair

Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development

Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development

DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

Explore Sri Lanka

Explore Sri Lanka Online, the web edition of Sri Lanka’s leading monthly corporate publication. Founded in 1996, the magazine currently has a distribution of over 6,000 copies island-wide.

Recent News

  • Investec Cape Town Art Fair
  • Discipline and Precepts are Favorable for Self-Development
  • DY Patil University Centre of Excellence Opens in Navi Mumbai

Find Us

Explore Sri Lanka
20-2/1 Lauries Place Facing
R. A. De Mel Mawatha
Colombo 04
Sri Lanka.
(+94 11) 259 7991
(+94) 715 134 134
info@btoptions.com
btoptions.com

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 Explore Sri Lanka | Designed by Lithic Labs

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Issues
    • 201_
      • 2010
      • 2011
      • 2012
      • 2013
      • 2014
      • 2015
      • 2016
      • 2017
      • 2018
      • 2019
    • 202_
      • 2020
      • 2021
      • 2022
      • 2023
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Archive
  • Find Us on Magzter

© 2022 Explore Sri Lanka | Designed by Lithic Labs

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In