InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA - Palm oil really depends on climate to deliver high production. Extreme climate would be significantly delivering palm oil production. That is why it needs to anticipate such condition.

According to the evaluation by Pusat Penelitian Kelapa Sawit (PPKS) in 2019 El Nino was weak that happened until the first semester of 2000. La Nina fluctuated in September 2022 to February 2023 or it would happen in three years in a row.

“Wet drought could increase palm oil plantation productivity 1 – 2 years after the wet drought,” Head of Soil Science and Agronomy PPKS, Nuzul Hijri Dahlan said in online webinar that PPKS conducted by the late of May 2023.

Besides, still referring to climate prediction in June to August 2023, there is a warn that El Nino and IOD Positive would happen. The combination of the phenomenon would be in rainfall significantly in Indonesia. For example, this happened in 1997, 2006, and 2015 when the rain fell significantly in many regions in Indonesia, namely in July to October 2015.

Jambi, South Sumatera, Lampung, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and East Kalimantan were the provinces that have something to do with ENSO and the impacts of drought were significantly happening to palm oil production in 2015 El Nino.

Nuzul Hijri also mentioned palm oil trees that got impacts from dry climate would have some symptoms, such as, there would be more than two spear leaves; many male flowers, failure to deliver bunch, midrib gets broken, bunch quality decreases, and midrib gets dried.

That is why it needs some things to anticipate if dry climate happens to remain palm oil trees maintain their production, such as, preemptive action, minimizing impact, and recovery. (T2)

for more, please read Majalah InfoSAWIT, September 2023