• Are oil palms native to West Africa?
  • The African oil palm, Elaeis guineensis, is native to West Africa and in terms of agriculture, it is perhaps the world’s most important palm species. Oil palm fruits are available year-round and have served as semi-wild food resources in traditional societies for >?7000 years.
  • Where does South Africa export palm oil?
  • The main destinations of South Africa exports on Palm Oil were Zimbabwe ($15.3M), Zambia ($5.3M), Namibia ($1.72M), Eswatini ($1.67M), and Botswana ($1.49M). In 2022, South Africa imported $618M in Palm Oil, mainly from Indonesia ($483M), Malaysia ($132M), Singapore ($971k), Italy ($462k), and Sweden ($295k).
  • Where is oil palm grown?
  • Oil palm is a tropical plant species that thrives on high rainfall, adequate sunlight, and humid conditions. As a result, it is grown in many countries along the equator in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. In the map, we see the distribution of production across the world.
  • What is oil palm?
  • The oil palm, scientifically known as Elaeis guineensis and commonly referred to as an African tree, is a palm in the palm family (Arecaceae) that is cultivated as a source of oil. It is grown extensively in its native West and Central Africa, as well as in Malaysia and Indonesia.