As a country rich in natural resources, Indonesia has great potential in the agricultural sector. From Sabang to Merauke, each region has a mainstay commodity that can be maximized to increase the country’s foreign exchange. One of them is West Papua with its palm kernel.
In addition to oil and copper ore, agricultural products such as palm oil are indeed one of the main export commodities of West Papua. Palm oil and its derivative products, such as palm oil dregs and palm kernel have very promising value for export to foreign countries.
What is palm kernel? What are the benefits? Here is a full explanation for you.
What is Palm Kernel?
Do you know that palm fruits can be made into two different oils? The first one is crude palm oil, which is made by extortion and boiling the flesh of oil palm fruit. The other is palm kernel oil, which is made from the core or seeds of the palm fruit.
Palm kernel is part of the protective shell and core embryo of palm oil which contains high-quality oil. This part can be eaten or processed into palm kernel oil. In this case, palm kernel is produced from the separation of the pulp during the processing in the palm oil mill. Both palm kernel and palm kernel oil have high potential in national and international markets.
Palm Kernel Based Product
If processed into palm kernel oil, this palm oil derivative product can be processed into various things. Some processed products that contain palm kernel oil include butter, chocolate bars, soap and shampoo, detergent soap, and makeup products that we use every day. In other words, almost all the products we use contain palm oil. Therefore, domestic and international demand for palm oil is always high from year to year. This potential is being utilized by the government as much as possible.
The Benefit of Palm Kernel
Palm kernel also has many benefits, both before and after processing. Here are some of them.
1. Does Not Contain Cholesterol
Palm kernel oil can be used as a substitute for butter. Because it does not contain cholesterol, oil made from palm kernels is healthier for preventing heart disease and high cholesterol.
2. Rich in Antioxidants
The high vitamin E content in palm kernels can make it a good antioxidant and anti-aging. In addition, oil made from palm kernel also has anti-UV, so it is good for preventing the negative effects of sunlight.
3. Highly Nutritious and Vitamins
Palm kernel is also rich in nutrients that are important for maintaining health. It also contains high vitamin K and vitamin A. As we know, vitamin K is useful for maintaining healthy bones and blood. Meanwhile, vitamin A is useful for maintaining eye health.
4. More Durable and Long Lasting
Oils made from palm kernels do not oxidize under cooking temperature and during storage. Thus, this oil is very useful for food businesses because it is more durable and does not expire easily.
Palm Kernel as West Papua Potential Export Commodity
Palm kernel, along with red fruit, is one of the promising commodities from West Papua. In 2020, for example, as many as 162 tons of red fruit and palm kernels were shipped from West Papua to Czechoslovakia and Surabaya.
In addition, other countries, such as New Zealand and Japan also import palm kernels from Indonesia. Thus, the palm kernel from West Papua has great potential to complement the needs of Indonesia’s export commodities in the international market.
Those are some information about palm kernel, one of the promising commodities from West Papua. With the various benefits contained in it, both before and after processing, making palm kernel has a high value in the national and international markets. Therefore, good cooperation between the community, oil palm production managers, and the government is needed to continue to develop this potential. Thus, the natural wealth of West Papua will be better known to the world.
