Oil Palm in Singapore — A Short History Singapore never grew oil palm on a big scale. It was more of a testing ground and research hub. Here's how it went: 1. Late 1800s — First trials: The African oil palm came to Southeast Asia in the 19th century. Early plants were grown at the Singapore Botanic Gardens (started in 1859). 2. 1907 — Sharing the seeds: Henry Ridley, the man who pushed rubber planting in the region, also promoted oil palm. In 1907, an article praised its value, so the Botanic Gardens gave out 3,030 oil palm seeds to planters near and far. 3. Moving to Malaya and Sumatra: Singapore was a place for ideas, research, and trade. But the island was too small for large farms. So British firms based in Singapore (like Guthrie & Co.) took the know-how and seeds to Malaya and Sumatra. That's where the big palm oil boom later happened. 4. Later 1900s — A business hub: Over time, Singapore stopped being a small testing site and became a money, company, and trading center for the world's palm oil and chemical industries — not a farm producer. In short: Singapore helped start and spread oil palm, but the real farming happened elsewhere. It later became the business and trading heart of the industry. #palmvalley #singaporebotanicgardens #oilpalm #sawit #oilpalmsg - @botakspirit