Palm oil is a very productive crop. It offers a far greater yield at a lower cost of production than other vegetable oils. Global production of and demand for palm oil is increasing rapidly. Plantations are spreading across Asia, Africa and Latin America. But such expansion comes at the expense of tropical forests—which form critical habitats for many endangered species and a lifeline for some human communities.
onion, (Allium cepa), herbaceous biennial plant in the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae) grown for its edible bulb. The onion is likely native to southwestern Asia but is now grown throughout the world, chiefly in the temperate zones. Onions are low in nutrients but are valued for their flavour and are used widely in cooking. They add flavour to such dishes as stews, roasts, soups, and salads and are also served as a cooked vegetable.
Potato, (Solanum tuberosum), annual plant in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), grown for its starchy edible tubers. The potato is native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes and is one of the world’s main food crops. Potatoes are frequently served whole or mashed as a cooked vegetable and are also ground into potato flour, used in baking and as a thickener for sauces. The tubers are highly digestible and supply vitamin C, protein, thiamin, and niacin.
Cashew nut is made up of a fruit in which the kernel is embedded. The real fruit of the cashew is commonly a nut. It is a kidney- or heart-shaped achene, in any normal variety. Its color varies from bottle green to grayish brown (dried fruit). It is attached to the end of a fleshy footstalk or peduncle, which is in fact the receptacle of the flower, that is, broadened and swollen, and forms the false fruit. The nut is composed of kernel and pericarp or shell. The kernel is slightly curved back on itself and forms two cotyledons, representing about 20–25% of the nuts weight. It is wrapped in a thin, difficult to remove peel (testa), reddish-brown membrane, which in turn approximates to 5% of the whole nut.
