Potential Content of Palm Oil at Various Levels of Loose Fruit in Oil Palm Circle

Abstract

Harvesting fresh fruit bunches (FFB) is an important activity in the oil palm plantation industry. This study aimed to analyze the potential content of palm oil at the level of loose fruit that falls on the oil palm circle. Observations were made on five fresh fruit bunches with criteria 1, 3, and 5 respectively loose fruit per bunch that falls on the oil palm circle from oil palm trees that were 22, 16, 12, and 7 years old. All sample fresh fruit bunches were analyzed for potential oil to bunch and oil to wet mesocarp in the analytical laboratory of Bumitama Gunajaya Agro. Content of oil to wet mesocarp in loose fruit 1, 3, and 5 were 48,50 % b, 51,98 % a, and 53,21 % a respectively. While the content of oil to bunch in loose fruit 1, 3, and 5 were 24,19 % a, 25,52 % a, and 25,71 % a respectively. The highest potential for oil content occurs in ripe palm fruit with a level of loose fruit 5 grains per bunch that falls on that oil palm circle. Five grains per bunch on the oil palm circle can be used as an indicator for harvesters to harvest ripe fruit with optimal oil content.