Palm Oil in Gabon: Business Insights, Traditional Uses, and Sustainable Farming
Palm Oil in Gabon: Business Insights, Traditional Uses, and Sustainable Farming
The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) thrives in Gabon’s hot, humid, 81% forested landscape. Its fruit produces palm oil — a cooking and industrial oil essential to Africa for millennia and now one of the world’s most produced vegetable oils.
Harvest and Yield: Trees start fruiting about 2½ years after planting. Palm oil is the world’s second most important vegetable oil after soybean oil. Its high heat tolerance makes it ideal for frying, but it is nearly 50% saturated fat — more than double olive oil.
Two Valuable Oils From One Fruit
The palm fruit yields two oils: palm oil (from the fleshy pulp) and palm kernel oil (from the seed). Palm oil is key to global food processing — from frying potato chips to making instant noodles. Palm kernel oil, like coconut oil, is common in sweets, cosmetics, soaps, and detergents.
Traditional Palm Oil Extraction — The Wet Method
Villages often use the wash-and-boil method: pounded fruit mash is mixed with warm water, hand-squeezed, and boiled for 1–2 hours. As it cools, oil rises to the surface to be skimmed. Herbs are sometimes added for flavor and preservation.
Palm Wine — An Ancient Tradition
The African oil palm also produces palm wine, a beloved beverage in West, Central, and Southern Africa. Fresh sap is sweet; with fermentation, it becomes bubbly and alcoholic.
Olam Palm Gabon and Sustainable Practices
Olam Palm Gabon, operating since 1989, manages plantations across 202,000+ hectares. Over half the land is set aside as High Conservation Value forests and wetlands. The company holds certifications from the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification. Local partnerships include building schools, clinics, and water pumps for nearby villages.
FAQ — Palm Oil in Africa
Why is palm oil so widely used?
It’s versatile, heat-stable for cooking, inexpensive, and useful in food, cosmetics, soap, and biofuels.
What’s the difference between palm oil and palm kernel oil?
Palm oil comes from the fruit’s flesh; palm kernel oil comes from the seed. Kernel oil is harder, like coconut oil, and used in sweets and soaps.
Is palm oil sustainable?
Unsustainable palm farming drives deforestation. Certified growers like RSPO aim to protect forests and wildlife while producing oil.
How is palm wine made from palm trees?
Farmers tap the sap, let it ferment naturally, and drink it fresh (sweet) or fermented (alcoholic).
Did You Know?
Palm oil helped fuel West Africa’s historic trade, powering soap-making and early industries long before global demand surged.
