Eco-Tourism with Palm Oil Plantation Part 2

Even though the palm oil plantation is the largest in the world, reaching more than 12 million hectares and consumes processed palm oil products everyday, namely cooking oil, there are still many who do not know that the palm cooking oil used originally came from palm fiber and not from palm fruit meat or palm kernel. The majority still thinks that oil from palm oil is the same as oil from coconut, that is, from the meat of the fruit. Although oil from palm fruit can also be produced, namely palm kernel oil or PKO (palm kernel oil), but the amount is small, which is only about 10% of CPO and its use is also not for cooking oil, but for cosmetics, soap, oleochemicals and sources of vegetable fats . One of the highlights of palm kernel oil is its high lauric acid content, and this is almost the same as coconut oil. In addition to the two ingredients above lauric acid is also found in mother breast milk. And lauric acid has many health benefits, for more details, please read here. Currently palm kernel oil is also more widely used than coconut oil as a source of lauric acid.

Meanwhile, what is called palm oil is identical oil derived from its husk (mesocarp fiber) which is also commonly called CPO (crude palm oil). CPO is the most produced oil from the processing of palm oil fruit or fresh fruit bunches (FFB). When we hear about palm oil mills, this is also identical to CPO mills, although PKO mills are also palm oil mills, for reasons as above. CPO mills are also far more in quantity than PKO mills, this is because not all CPO mills have PKO mills. So that the kernel produced from the CPO mill is sent to the PKO mill to be processed into oil (PKO). At present almost 1000 palm oil mills or CPO mills are in Indonesia, a very large number and should be familiar with Indonesian people in general. But apparently there are still many people and even students who do not know the potential of Indonesia.

The palm oil business in Indonesia also contributes quite significantly to the country at around 3% of GDP so that it also receives a lot of support from the government. In addition, the development of palm products is also very open and Indonesia is still underdeveloped, with the indication that the exported products are still dominated with CPO or crude palm oil, while exports should be in the form of downstream products ready for consumption or at least intermediate products so as to provide more added value big for Indonesia. If these conditions can be understood so that various development strategies are carried out both from the upstream sector, namely the plantation sector to the downstream sector, namely the processing industry, the contribution of this business for the country will be even greater. For example the palm oil business in Malaysia has contributed to around 7% of Malaysian GDP.

 If the Indonesian people understand the problem above, it will be easier to find a solution. Insha Allah. Students should be introduced to the palm oil business in Indonesia both from upstream to downstream so that in time it can be expected to map out the problem as well as provide a solution. The strategic palm oil industry in Indonesia should be well introduced to future generations so that their future role in this industry can be continued and added. Environmental-based educational tourism to plantations and palm oil mills as an initial medium to introduce this potential to them.