Witjaksana
Darmosarkoro
ABSTRACT
There has been a huge development of oil palm industry
which began in early 1900s. Most of the expansion, however, relies on the
increase of areas planted with the palm, as a consequence making Indonesia the
largest country producer of palm oil in the world. However, the down stream
industry of palm oil has not been progressively explored in the country the
success of oil palm industry development is possible because of the supports
given a number of institutions including the goverment policy and R&D.
Several technologies have already been
available to support the efforts in making oil palm industry sustainable such
ad high yield planting materials, agronomic parctices including eco friendly
technique to control pests and diseases as well as zero waste processing
system.
The future of oil palm industry is likely to be
drastically interfered by environmental issues. This will be a challenge to the
R&D institutions to provide required solutions. Future programs of R&D
should focus not only on higher yield hybrids but also respect the
environmental issues by improving efficiency in fertilizer application,
biocontrol of pests amd diseases, clean processing and conservation to produce
breakthrough in the future. A greater support from the goverment is needed as
well as well better collaboration among the existing institutions and
universities involved in oil palm research.
Keywords : Elaeis guineensis Jacq., Indonesian Oil
Palm Institute (IOPRI), environment, R&D
By : Indonesian Oil Palm
Research Institute (IOPRI). P.O. Box 1103, Medan 20158, Indonesian, Email.
admin@iopri.org