Describe a plant grown in your country

You should say:

• what the plant is
• where it is grown
• why you like or dislike it

and explain why it is important to your country

Sample Answer:

The oil palm tree is considered as one of the greatest helpful plants of Malaysia. It is an agricultural crop for the country as well. The oil palm tree has grown in the African continent and gradually it came to the country in the 18th century and then massive agricultural production began. Currently, the plant is commercially grown to get palm oil which is used for preparing foods. There are a large number of plantations available in the country that produces the plants as agricultural products and as a result, the country has turned economically solvent. Mostly the landless and poverty-stricken people are engaged in the production of the oil. As a result, Malaysia has become the second largest palm oil exporters in the world

History of palm tree originates in West Africa and it was introduced in Malaysia during the colonisation by the British rulers. It was brought in the country as an ornamental tree but later commercialization began. Mostly the plants grow in desert lands and currently it is farmed in estates. There are a good number of palm tree estates where the trees are grown for producing palm oil. Malaysia has allotted over 4 million hectares of lands for the farming of palm tree. When matured, the trees turn around 60 feet in height in an average and start reaping fruits after 30 months. Usually, the plants live for 30 years (maximum). Different varieties of the plant are available but the tenera is the most preferred variety in Malaysia

I like the plant as it bears two benefits simultaneously. Firstly the trees look beautiful and used for ornamenting places. Secondly, the tree provides the vegetable oil which contributes a large portion in the national economy. Moreover, it has created employment for thousands of people across the country. Although the plant is African, it has turned into a symbol for Malaysia. The oil derived from the plant is enriched with high beta-carotene and thus a healthy element for cooking foods and also is lower in cost comparing the other vegetable oils. I prefer the plant as it is not harmful to the environment too and requires less attention than the other plants. Only a rough surface is enough to grow the plant and it grows up well without any special care or nurture

The Malaysian economy is highly grateful to the palm plants for producing the oil. The reddish coloured oil is used in different belts of the world including Southeast Asia and Africa for low cost and health benefits like low cholesterol. Many of the poor and poverty-stricken population have changed their luck after planting the palm trees. In 2007, it was estimated that over 4 million hectares of lands had been used for palm tree farming for commercially producing palm oil in Malaysia and in 2011, the coverage stood to around 4.9 million hectares and thus the production of palm oil in Malaysia has increased much. Statistics show that the palm oil production in 2011 was over 18 million tonnes while it was over 16 million tonnes in 2010

The Malaysian economy has got a boost by exporting the palm oil across the world and this is the second largest country that exports palm oil (Indonesia is in the first place) after meeting the local oil demands of the country. A rock solid industry has been set in Malaysia based on the palm plants and meets 46 per cent demand of the globe. Palm oil manufacturers have installed refineries in the country to purify the crude oil which has also created employment opportunity for the unemployed population. As a result, the living standards in Malaysia have increased to a standard level

Thereby, the palm plants are essential for the country and different initiatives are underway to make the palm oil industry more sustainable so that it could meet the demands of the half of the world population