Back to Local Production: Processing Palm oil
Introduction |
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Hi friends, I welcome you back to my blog. If you're a Nigerian, I am 100% sure that you have eaten food palm oil is added to it. Before 5 to about 7 years back, the Nigerian economy depended so much on crude oil until its price began to depreciate in the international market, and so much value is no longer on crude products.
But you know what, all hope is not lost as the agricultural sector is leading on, and palm oil is now the real oil money now in Nigeria. Today, a lot of Nigerians are cashing out from oil production and its by-products, so yours truly had to join the train while it's booming.
Collage made with Canva
My Journey |
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Over the weekend, I made good use of the holiday, in what I'll call an adventure to the village (not mine), to process palm oil, which I have always desired to do. Processing of palm oil is not new to me, but it used to be done manually. It was a great joy to see that palm oil processing had joined the middle technology where local fabricated machines are now used to mill, extract or press out the oil and even separate the kernels from the chaff.
It was my first time witnessing the use of local fabricated machines in the production of palm oil. That also brought me to know that our local industries are doing great as iron technology has been greatly utilised.
Picture of myself
Below are the step-by-step methods of production or processing of palm oil, after harvesting and the separation of the oil palm seeds from the stalk.
Step 1: The seeds are left for one week for them to wither. This will make the process easier and the oil will be much more than processing the fresh ones.
Step 2: The seeds were transported to the oil mill. It was cooked in a big drum for hours (5-8hours) before it was done and ready for milling.
Before being cooked
Drum of cooked palm seeds
Step 3: The palm seeds were removed from the drum where they were cooked to the milling machine where they were milled before they were transferred to another machine.
The process of separating palm kernels from the chaff
Step 4: The milled products were transferred to the pressing machine where force is applied on it for it to press out palm oil from the chaff and palm kennel.
Step 5: After the oil has been removed, the chaff and kernels are moved to another machine where the palm kernels were removed from the chaff. At this point, the milling process ended.
The oil was transferred into jerricans. Note that water was added in the process of milling. So, after the main oil was collected, the remaining part of the oil was mixed with water. The oil was extracted and then transferred into a big pot where it was cooked till the water was dried, and it was then transferred into the jerricans after a few minutes of leaving it to cool.
Cooked oil on fire
Oil stored in jerricans
It was a nice time. We weren't the only people who were processing the oil. Others were ahead of us while others started theirs immediately we were done processing ours. Let me know if you have used the machines or if you processed palm oil before.
After processing, the oil can be stored in drums and jerricans and can also be sold later when the price skyrocket or be sold after production.
@realitytrend @okere-blessing and @chilaw, have you processed palm oil before? Or you'll love to make an adventure with me?
Pictures are all taken with my phone itel A70
Upvoted! Thank you for supporting witness @jswit.
This looks exactly like my village. This reminds me of my late grandpa. She was hardworking even at her old age. Most time since she was the only one at home after everyone had gone to work or school, she would go the our neighbor leaving nearby who own a Palm kennel milling machine. People always do their palm oil there and she will work with them from the start till the end. At the end of the day, they will give her palm oil, the chaff and the palm kernel.
Most time after school i will joined her there and I will help in milling, pressing the chaff and the palm kennel. The final stage is the difficulty one because that's where the man power.......... ofcourse
the muscle is needed to rotate the machine. You know what am talking about na. I don't know it's it the same procedure they are still using till date.
Men dey💪
Oh, great to know you have engaged in the production of palm oil before. They still use the rotation method but the milling and separation is done with machine and even cracking of the nut too.
I appreciate your lovely comment, thanks for stopping by.
This is very informative. Here in our country, there are lots of palm seeds but I don't know that it can be used as oil.
Thank you for this post.
Keep on steeming.
Thanks for finding this helpful. Here in Nigeria, palm by products generates so much money. The palm oil is basically used for cooking here, while it can also be used in the production of soap and other items.
I appreciate your lovely comment, thank you for visiting.