Palm Trees/Palm Oil

[jasonr3255]

Thinking of growing palm trees questions below if anyone could answer in Laymens terms

1. Type of palm/ name

2. how the oil is extracted

3. best type of soil, dark and sticky or light powdery soil

4. time from growing to yielding

5. once extracted how long before tree can reproduce

6. spacing trees

7. expected turnover/ profit per rai

8. any other pros/cons

Many Thanks Jason

[Mosha]

Don't know about questions 1 - 3.

#4 Saplings are about 2 years old, and produce at around 4

#5 A fruit bunch every 20 or so days.

#6 Depending on location 20 - 25 trees per Rai

#7 Age of trees/price are a major factor. 4 to 6 year old trees won't be producing big bunches. We don't have many trees, around 40. Just the land is too wet for fruit/rubber. If you have a lot, the local processing plant will send a team for less than 50 cetang/kilo. Some will even offer a land maintainance service.

It's not as subject to the weather as rubber. So if you are down south it may be a better option than rubber. However as far as I know. The trees are pretty much worthless once they stop producing. I may be wrong on that.

[mozzieslapper]

I read a tree can produce for about 30 years though.

[jamescollister]

I read a tree can produce for about 30 years though.

Been a long time since I did any real research on PO, over 5 years at a guess.

Like most things there is a lot more to it then meets the eye.

First you as a planter would not be producing oil, unless you were making some sort of specialty item. The pulp is not only used, but the seed produces a high grade oil as well.

Outputs vary greatly from areas to areas, it's a rain fall thing. Next there are different trees and I believe even some super trees from Malaysia now.

Many Malaysian sites on PO are in English, that may well be a better place to start looking.

Know there are posters on here who have PO, but never really read of anyone giving real numbers etc from their plantations.

Perhaps if you said your location someone nearby doing some PO could give you a tour. Always easier to see and understand first hand.

Good luck with it. Jim

[Mosha]

I read a tree can produce for about 30 years though.

Last I heard 20 years

[Rsquared]

My source is 25 years, but the main thing is to get started.

That's what I'm doing at the moment.......getting 600 saplings arriving wednesday, not sure which variety......but they are the same that our cousin has and his trees have started producing after 2 1/2 years after planting. His place is only 1 1/2 km away from where we will be planting so same climate .....plus we have irrigation from the local big dam so hopefully if we get things set up right.....cross fingers and enjoy the profits.

p.s. if I'm still here in 25 years I will be a very happy chappy.

[mozzieslapper]

I read a tree can produce for about 30 years though.

Last I heard 20 years

My source is 25 years, but the main thing is to get started

I happily stand corrected, I am not an expert on this subject. I remember last month in Malaysia when they floated that palm oil company for a record IPO many though it was foolish as 90% of their trees only had 5 years of production left in them.

[Pinnfinola]

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

[Rsquared]

Yes to all of the above.......we have local buyers 5km away, endless irrigation supply from the local (huge ) dam that supplies most of the farms in our area, and we are looking at 20 trees per rai.

Will post photos during our set-up.

Any other useful advice would be welcome......any one fertiliser better than the others for example?

Cheers.

edit:typo

Edited July 31, 2012 by Rsquared

[Pinnfinola]

Yes to all of the above.......we have local buyers 5km away, endless irrigation supply from the local (huge ) dam that supplies most of the farms in our area, and we are looking at 20 trees per rai.

Will post photos during our set-up.

Any other useful advice would be welcome......any one fertiliser better than the others for example?

Cheers.

edit:typo

Looking forward to see some pictures from your plantation.

I used chicken manure in the hole when I planted after that I have used 15-15-15 and extra mg (magnesium).

First year I used 2 kg of fertilzer per plant plus 0,2 kg mg (magnesium) per plant and 2 kg chicken manure in the hole.

Best regards

Pinn

[Mosha]

If the local depot displays 3 prices 1 about 10 cetang more than the other, and a price of about 20 cetang. Then they will come and harvest for you, if you have a sizeable plot. That 20 cetang is what they charge a kilo.

[Pinnfinola]

I recommend this book “The oil palm " by R. H. V. Corley and P. B. H. Tinker

It is expensive 259 US $ on Amazon but its worth the money.

Best Regards

Pinn

[Rsquared]

Thanks Mosha and Pinn, will make a note of that and pass it onto the wife (boss.)

That's handy because we have a place that sells chicken manure about 40km away (not far when you live in the bush).

259 US$ ouch! for a book?!

Cheers.

Edited July 31, 2012 by Rsquared

[huuwi]

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

hi pinn,

is it good or bad to have oilpalm in trang.

we just planted 10rai.

huuwi

[Pinnfinola]

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

hi pinn,

is it good or bad to have oilpalm in trang.

we just planted 10rai.

huuwi

Sorry but it should have been Trat, ( dont know how to Edit my posts)

But yes Trang has enough rain. Only three months of "dry season".

Take look at Thai Meteorological deparment´s web page and check 30 years average for Trang

Oil Palms need at minimum 100 mm per month. 200 mm per month is ideal, a little rain every day in the evning would be best.

Good luck with your plantation

Best Regards

Pinn

[huuwi]

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

If you your trees are producing fruit after 2 1/2 year then you have the "new" plants, they are the only one sold these days.

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) after 5 years if you have irrigation and looking after them.

Without irrigation you would be down to 1800 kg if you not lokated in the south or in Trang.

Common density is 24 plants per rai, thay would give you higher yield.

Price for FFB is around 3-5 bath per kg

You need to make sure you are close to a proccesing plant or have local buyers to sell to, transport cost will eat up the profit if you dont have this sorted.

Best regards

Pinn

hi pinn,

is it good or bad to have oilpalm in trang.

we just planted 10rai.

huuwi

Sorry but it should have been Trat, ( dont know how to Edit my posts)

But yes Trang has enough rain. Only three months of "dry season".

Take look at Thai Meteorological deparment´s web page and check 30 years average for Trang

Oil Palms need at minimum 100 mm per month. 200 mm per month is ideal, a little rain every day in the evning would be best.

Good luck with your plantation

Best Regards

Pinn

thanks for your answer, now i can sleep better.

we hatched our palms from seeds i got from malaysia, they said it's double a grade, what ever it means.

they also offered me the supergen, but they had to be plant in the swamp for best results.

our one are on the mountain.

thanks again

huuwi

[Issangeorge]

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB That works out to 5.33 kg per tree @ 5 baht per kg that is only 26.66 baht per tree and at 24 trees per rai 640 baht per rai. At that income nobody could make anymoney, there must be something wrong with your figures. Issangeorge

[Pinnfinola]

600 trees would produce around 3200 kg of FFB That works out to 5.33 kg per tree @ 5 baht per kg that is only 26.66 baht per tree and at 24 trees per rai 640 baht per rai. At that income nobody could make anymoney, there must be something wrong with your figures. Issangeorge

Should be 3200 kg of FFB per rai

[Mosha]

Palm oil prices have tanked over the past few days. Down around 17%

[Charlie1]

Some actual figures:

Just bought 9 Rai of Palm Oil, trees are 8 years old. There are just over 200 trees on it.

The day before we bought, they were harvesting and made a net profit of 30.000 Baht. (Price now is 4,70 Baht per Kg FFB, and around 2 Baht per Kg more, for the collected single fruit) In 20 days, it's harvesting time for us for the first time.

The cutters got 600 Baht per Tonne, that's how they get paid.

Fertilizing is 3 to 4 times a year, giving 2 Kg per tree. I was told, the fertilizer is expensive and apparently costs between 10.000 and 15.000 Baht each time.

[Rsquared]

G'day Charlie1,

Welcome to TV.

Those figures you've quoted are very similar to what I have been working on. We have yet to plant our saplings, so it will be quite a few years yet before we see any sort of income.

Would be great if you could continue to update us (say in 6 months) to see whether the figures work for you as they have for the previous owner.

Once again....welcome.....and thanks for your input.

Cheers.

[Charlie1]

G'day Charlie1,

Welcome to TV.

Those figures you've quoted are very similar to what I have been working on. We have yet to plant our saplings, so it will be quite a few years yet before we see any sort of income.

Would be great if you could continue to update us (say in 6 months) to see whether the figures work for you as they have for the previous owner.

Once again....welcome.....and thanks for your input.

Cheers.

Thanks for the warm welcome! I will keep on posting new figures as soon as I get some. If by the meantime anyone knows some more palm for sale between Krabi and Ao Luk, let me know. We want to by some more of it..

I first was thinking mainly about buying rubber, but we got more offers of palm and finally started with this 9 Rai. Heaving read nearly the whole rubber-thread and seeing the prices and difficulties people have, it looks like palm is much more profitable to me know. Don't know if this will stay like this, but looks like price for FFB is going to rise..?!

[Mosha]

FWIW the local depots to me are buying at 4 and 4.5 Baht. Picking costs .0.35 Baht/kg I think. Only one place showing that price, and we haven't passed it for a while.

ps Forgot to add, Welcome to the friendly spot in TV, Charles

Edited September 17, 2012 by Mosha

[Charlie1]

FWIW the local depots to me are buying at 4 and 4.5 Baht. Picking costs .0.35 Baht/kg I think. Only one place showing that price, and we haven't passed it for a while.

ps Forgot to add, Welcome to the friendly spot in TV, Charles

Weeks late... sorry...

Thank you Mosha for the welcome !!!

Just a short question: Does anyone know where to find the actual price for FFB on the internet?

Thanks!!!

Charlie1

[Mosha]

I don't but yesterday, the local spot was buying loose at 3.7 and FFB at 3 Baht

[rice555]

Hello All, palm, not my cup of tea, but nice coverage in this issue and next months.

rice555

[rice555]

Hello All, palm, not my cup of tea, but nice coverage in this issue and next months.

rice555

[likewise]

We got about 35 rai of palm plantation, harvest every 18 to 20 days good for 8 to 11 tonne depending on the season. One piece of land has got trees of 12 to 15 years an the other piece has got trees with 6 year old trees.

600 baht per tonne then you are paying too much. We pay 350 - 400 baht/ per tonne we do have our own vehicle, I am the driver bringing the lot to the weighstation. Been in this industry for the last 5 years now, no regrets, of course it is a commodity so prices will fluctuate, at the moment they are quite low, no worries, been there before, they'll go up again.

[IsaanAussie]

I know precious little about the palm oil industry. I have studied the processing and for the life of me, I cannot work out why the fruit bunches get transported over such large distances when they could be at least expelled onsite and the waste recycled onsite or shipped closer with just the raw oil being shipped to the refinery.

Can anyone fill me in?

[Charlie1]

We got about 35 rai of palm plantation, harvest every 18 to 20 days good for 8 to 11 tonne depending on the season. One piece of land has got trees of 12 to 15 years an the other piece has got trees with 6 year old trees.

600 baht per tonne then you are paying too much. We pay 350 - 400 baht/ per tonne we do have our own vehicle, I am the driver bringing the lot to the weighstation. Been in this industry for the last 5 years now, no regrets, of course it is a commodity so prices will fluctuate, at the moment they are quite low, no worries, been there before, they'll go up again.

Thanks for the info Likewise..!! Good post and great informations!

As I am not driving myself, there could be the difference in price..? Or maybe you are in the north and they have generally other prices?

When I calculate that we had 3.6 tonnes on 9 Rai last week, that's 400 Kg per Rai, then multiplied with 35 Rai, you should have at least 14 tonnes?

Or does the age of the trees (2 different stadium) play such a big role?