'India's palm oil output may face winter chill'

India's palm oil yield, which currently averages around 18-20 tonnes per hectare, will require robust investment in research to match global standards but winter remains a hindrance in getting optimum yield under natural conditions, a senior scientist at one of the world's largest palm plantation companies based in Malaysia has said.

- SANJEEB MUKHERJEE

Palm oil is the world's cheapest and most widely used vegetable oil, and is found in everything from cookies to lipstick.

"Most probably India can hit an average yield of 18-20 tonnes per hectare. To push beyond that, one needs to have a better understanding of what type of genetics works better here because winter is a concern," Harikrishna Kulaveerasingam, head incharge of research and development at Malaysia's Sime Darby Plantation told Business Standard.

Kulaveerasingam was in India a few days back to start joint pilot projects with Godrej Agrovet Ltd (GAVL) for trials on oil palm planting materials with high oil content and low gestation period.