InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Palm oil empty fruits bunch is the waste having much volume in fresh fruit bunch (FFB) process in palm oil factory (mill). It could be reaching 23% of the processed FFB.
In one ton of empty fruits bunch, it has nitrogen 3,6 kilograms, phosphate 0,9 kilogram, potassium 11 kilograms, and magnesium 1,4 kilograms. Empty husk is potential as the substitution of organic fertilizer for immature trees.
Empty husk is the solid palm oil waste which is produced after the boiling and defoliation process. The waste (empty husk) is the most waste in FFB process in palm oil factory, reaching up to 23% of the processed FFB.
The waste will be more as the increasing FFB capacity to process. The increasing waste volume will raise new issue to the environment, namely pollution. besides processing the waste will spend lots of money too.
In one ton - organic empty husk, it contains of nitrogen, 3,6 kg; phosphate, 0.9 kg; potassium, 11 kg; and magnesium, 1,4 kg. it is very potential to substitute fertilizer in the soil or the areas around the palm oil tree. (Pahan,2006).
The study is to know the function and utilization of empty husk, to know the role, the application and how to apply the empty husk.
Applying empty husk could substitute muriate of potash (MOP) fertilizer in the organic fertilizer. It is also done in PT Cisadane Sawit Raya. The empty husk which is full of MOP could substitute the inorganic fertilizer. If it is seen from the costs, it will be cheaper to spend for the fertilization. Besides it could also repair the soil characteristic, both physically, biologically, chemically, and automatically it will be optimal to palm oil growth.
The empty husk is processed in the sterilizer and threser. It is very effective to apply as mulch. This could reduce the soil temperature, balance the soil moisture, and spend less money to nursery the immature palm oil tree because there is no money to the areas around the tree, the fertilization, especially to buy MOP as the inorganic fertilizer.
The empty husk could also be applied as mulch for it could multiply the water storability.
The decomposition and mineralization of the empty husk in the field, by the microorganism slowly take place. Based on the research result, decomposition of 4 main hara in the empty husk, are, potassium (K) is the fastest to unravel. So empty husk should be immediately applied in the field so that the hara in it could be used maximally. The climate influences decomposition of the empty husk, faster or slower.
inorganic fertilizers, such as, urea, TSP (triple super phosphate) and kieserite could be applied in immature palm oil tree. Muriate of potash (MOP) fertilizer is the fastest of inorganic fertilizers to unravel. MOP itself is in empty husk. So, MOP could be used maximally. This means, the inorganic MOP fertilizer should not be applied.
By: Rufinusta Sinuraya/ Lecturer of Politeknik Kelapa Sawit Citra Edukasi
Source: Majalah InfoSAWIT Edisi November 2016
