OIL PALM IN COLOMBIA
It is the most productive oilseed on the planet; one hectare planted
produces between six and ten times more oil than other hectare.
Colombia is the fourth largest producer of palm oil in the world and
the largest in Latin America.
Year-end 2025 figures
Each hectare planted with oil palm represents opportunities for
employment, sustainability and economic growth
172
Municipalities
21
Departments
+9
THOUSAND
PRODUCERS
PRODUCERS
- 74% small-scale
- 23% medium-scale
- 32% women
78 Palm oil mills
641 k
hectares planted
- 82% in production
- 18% inmature area
262 k
total jobs
- 86% Formal employment
-
+ 100 thousand Direct employment
Woman 17,5% Men 82,5%
1,93
million tons
CPO production
8.7
million tons
fresh fruit bunches production
313 tons
palm kernel production
Production value
USD 2.13 billons
HEALTH AND NUTRITION
- Palm oil is the most consumed oil caround the world.
- It is naturally free of trans fats.
- It is a natural source of vitam E,
-
an antioxidant that protects the
brain and heart.
585 thousand tons
export market sales of palm oil declared to FEP**
31% of national production
1.33
million tons
of palm oil sold in the domestic market
69% of national production
Oil palm is the most productive oilseed in the world. With only 8%
of the total cultivated area for oilseeds, it contributes 35% of
the world´s production.
- Fifth-largest exporter in the agricultural sector
- 96 % of the local oils and fats production
Annual per capita consumption
27,4
kg
palm oil
palm oil
360
CERTIFIED PRODUCERS
in sustainability standards
18% palm oil production
certified under the APS Colombia standard
Palm Oil in Colombia is NOT a driver of DEFORESTATION
First productive sector in Colombian agriculture with a
real-time satellite deforestation monitoring system
18,
5
million hectares monitored
(16% of the national territory)
(16% of the national territory)
99%
of the cultivated area for oil palm in Colombia is
deforestation-free (2011 – 2025)*
2
geovisors (private and public)
*Source: Information data updated from Satelligence (2025)
**FEP: acronym in Spanish - Fondo de Estabilización de Precios
**FEP: acronym in Spanish - Fondo de Estabilización de Precios
The Colombian palm oil sector exceeds CORSIA's minimum
emissions reduction threshold (10%), showcasing the
significant potential for the advanced low-emission biofuels
market
% GHG emissions reduction according to CORSIA’s methodology
Indonesia / Malasia
Colombia
Open ponds
-
11% - 73%
Closet ponds
14%
47% - 110%
Carbon footprint for crude palm oil
182 Kg CO2e/Ton APC
(Open ponds 2021)
-666 KgCO2e/Ton APC
(Potential 100% carp lagoons)
The versatility of palm oil allows for multiple uses in the food,
oleochemical, renewable energy, and environmentally friendly
biomass-derived products industries, such as:
