| Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) and Empty Fruit Bunch
Application as a Nutrient Source in Oil Palm |
Oil palm plantations produce large amounts
of by-products, particularly POME (treated) and EFB at the rate of
0.1 and 0.2 tonnes respectively for every tonnes of fresh fruit bunches
(FFB) processed. In 2003, a total of 2,106,956 tonnes of FFB were
processed, resulting in 211,000 tonnes of treated POME and 421,000
tonnes of EFB being produced. These by-products are good sources
of plant. Nutrients and they are recycled into the fields as organic
fertilizers. |
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| Palm Oil Mill Effluent |
Palm oil mill effluent (POME) contains
organic matter and plant nutrients which are excellent substitutes
for inorganic fertilizer. In view of its proven value, majority
of POME produced by palm oil mills is fully recycled as manure. |
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The effluent fractions that are most suitable for land applications
are the digester bottom solids and the aerobic pond solids. Several
methods of land application of POME are available. These include
application through flat beds/long beds, furrow irrigation, sprinkler
and tractor-tanker system.
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Raw POME is high in BOD and acidic with pH of around 4.0. After
treatment, the pH is raised to around 8 and BOD is lowered. In terms
of nutrient value, anaerobic sludge of treated POME contains high
plant nutrients. Application of anaerobic sludge in the oil palm
fields is carried out using the tractor-tanker system at the rate
of 360 and 500 liters/palm/year for coastal and inland soils respectively.
In terms of fertilizer value, this application is equivalent to 1.96
kg urea, 1.83 kg Christmas Island Rock Phosphate (CIRP), 1.45 kg
Muriate of Potash (MOP), 2.3 kg kieserite for coastal and 2.99 kg
urea, 2.80 kg CIRP, 2.22 kg MOP, 3.5 kieserite for inland soils. |
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| Empty Fruit Bunch |
Empty fruit bunches (EFB), besides being rich in plant nutrients,
also improve soil physical and chemical properties in the following
manner when used as mulch.
- Increases soil organic matter content.
- Improves soil structure.
- Increase infiltration and aeration.
- Reduces run-off.
- Improves soil water retention.
- Increases soil fauna micro activity.
- Increases cation exchange capacity.
- Reduces soil temperature fluctuation.
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As EFB mulching incurs additional cost, its benefit should be
maximized by giving priority to areas with poorer growing conditions,
e.g., lateritic and sandy areas. |
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Mulching is carried out at a rate of 250 kg EFB/palm/year.
In terms of fertilizer value, one tonne of EFB is equivalent 8
kg urea, 2.9 kg CIRP, 18.3 kg MOP and 4.7 kg kieserite. The evacuation
of EFB from oil mill to the field is by tractor-trailer where the
EFB is side-tipped to the “station” between the palms
along the harvester’s paths. In estates where rail transportation
is available, the loco/wagons/tractor system is the most suitable
for transporting and spreading of EFB. EFB mulching is carried
out once a year. |
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Composting |
With the development of the composting system, the
fore-described application of POME and EFB is expected to be gradually
phased out in favor of the more easily handled compost. |
