Impact of chemical fertilizer on soil fertility of oil palm plantations in relation to productivity and environment

Abstract

Indonesia produces around 45 MT of CPO in 2020. It is predicted that the demand of world palm oil will remain. Most of the oil palm plantations are grown on acidic soils with low fertility levels, such as Peat soils, Podzolic soils, and Acid sulfate soils. The domestic demand of phosphate and Kalium fertilizer still fulfilled by importation. Production of oil palm had depend on this fertilizer. Various research results have found that fertilizing oil palm using chemical anorganic fertilizers, especially Urea, TSP, KCl and Kieserit, has produced fresh fruit bunches which are quite high and profitable. Fertilizing oil palm crops requires a very large cost of around 30% of production costs. Currently, non-subsidized chemical fertilizers are rocketing, which is very burdensome for oil palm farmers. Some research results indicate that the continuous use of chemical fertilizers in oil palm plants causes to the land degradation. The use of organic fertilizers can improve sour and less fertile land, can increase the weight and number of oil palm fruit bunches. This paper aims to examine the impact of the use of chemical fertilizers on oil palm fruit production, as well as provide alternative organic fertilizers which sources are mostly around plantations.