Oil palm: future prospects for yield and quality improvements

Summary Oil palm is now the major global oil crop in terms of production. However, the crop still faces formidable challenges in terms of its overall yield per hectare, the quality of its oil, and the perceived sustainability of some aspects of plantation development and management. Thanks to recent progress in crop breeding and genomics, plus an emerging recognition of the importance of improved management practices across the industry, prospects are good for the capacity of the oil palm sector to confront these challenges