Vegetable oils; palm oil and its fractions, crude, not chemically modified

HS code 151110 covers the import and export of crude, unrefined palm oil and its fractions. Palm oil is one of the most widely traded and consumed vegetable oils globally, with applications ranging from food processing to industrial manufacturing. As a major agricultural commodity, the palm oil industry plays a significant role in the economies of key producing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia.

The production of crude palm oil begins with the harvesting of fresh fruit bunches from oil palm trees. These bunches are then sterilized, stripped, and pressed to extract the crude oil. The oil is then clarified and purified to remove impurities, resulting in the final crude palm oil product. This process is relatively straightforward compared to the refining of other vegetable oils, making palm oil a cost-effective and widely available raw material.

The primary inputs for the palm oil industry are the oil palm trees, which require specific climatic conditions to thrive. Other key inputs include land for cultivation, labor for harvesting and processing, and machinery for the extraction and purification of the crude oil. Additionally, the industry relies on transportation infrastructure to move the raw materials and finished products to domestic and international markets.

Crude palm oil produced under HS code 151110 is a versatile raw material with a wide range of applications. It is commonly used in the food industry for the production of cooking oils, margarine, and other food products. The oil is also used in the manufacture of 340510 Polishes and creams, 382490 Chemical products and preparations of the chemical or allied industries, and 382490 Biodiesel and similar fuels. The industry's outputs are consumed by a variety of other 15 Animal or vegetable fats and oils; cleavage products; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes industries.