Embrapa study palm oil as a source of oil for biodiesel

Brazil imports about 60% of palm oil it consumes
by Globo Rural Online

(The expansion of palm oil production depends on the increase in supply of seed of high genetic quality developed especially for Brazil)

The palm has been identified as the main alternative to increase participation in the North of the country in the National Program for Production and Use of Biodiesel as well as to diversify the raw materials for this biofuel. In order to move forward in this area, Embrapa Agroenergia has used resources such as Genomics, Metabolomics and the Fenômica to build a database that supports the breeding programs of culture, which are mainly developed in the western Amazon and eastern units.

Currently, over 80% of the oil used in the production of biodiesel comes from soybeans, which produces about 550 kg of oil per hectare. Research interest is in the palm high oil yield, which can reach 6,000 pounds per acre.

The Brazilian government is considering increasing from 5% to 10% or more adding biofuel to diesel. Added to this the need for feedstock for aviation biofuels market, which is starting to emerge. However, so that the palm can gain a larger share in the graphs show the share of different raw materials for biodiesel production will need to increase significantly the Brazilian production of this palm.

Currently, the country imports about 60% of palm oil it consumes, but not for lack of available land parra planting. Zoning conducted by Embrapa has identified more than 30 million acres of land outside protected areas that are suitable for cultivation.

The expansion, however, depends on the increase in availability of seed of genetically superior developed especially Brazil.

Source: Globo Rural magazine