The Dekel operation begins at the fully computerised irrigation and fertilisation nursery, located close to the village of Ayenouan. The nursery can produce 1 million plants per year in two cycles, the equivalent of 6,000 hectares of new planting per year, and has room to expand if required.
A computerised drip irrigation system ensures the delivery of accurate water and fertiliser requirements to each individual plant. Each plant is held in black poly bags that contain a substrate of finely chopped coconut fibre and good quality organic soil enhanced root development.
As a result, plants are ready for planting in a shorter time period than traditional methods (6 months compared to the industry standard of 9 to 12 months).
Additionally, the time taken for DekelOil’s palms to reach the first yield phase is 2 to 3 years. The West African industry standard is 4 years.
The nursery produces dependable quantities of robust, healthy and genetically productive oil palms each year.