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Spirit of the Trees
Oil Palm Tree by Christiana from Nigeria
by Christy (16)
Oil Palm Tree (OPT)
Oil Palm Tree is the most important economic tree in my locality because all parts of the tree are useful.
It is both food and cash crop.
Palm oil is used in the kitchen for Afang soup and other African dishes.
In industries palm oil can be used in making soap, cream, vegetable oil, Margarine, candles, etc.
The front is used for fencing, broom and firewood when dry.
The stem is used as firewood or planks for building.
Palm wine is also tapped from it. The roots are medicinal.
Dead bodies of oil palm add nutrients and organic matter to the soil to improve the soil structure.
The tree is planted in residential compounds, School premises, farmland, and in plantations.
There are two Oil Palm Plantations in my School.
Machete, ladder and climbing ropes are used in harvesting the palm fruits.
We students would go to the bush and remove bunches and dropping fruits which are sold to members of the School Staff. There are wild and hybrid types of oil palm. The ones in my School are hybrids and they bear very well.
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