55th Inaugural Lecture - 2007 by Prof. O. Akaranta - University of ...

Table 1 shows a broad range of agricultural residues (wastes)usually produced from harvesting and processing ofagricultural commodities. All crops produce collectableresidues, however the collection process may increase the costof utilization. Sugarcane, fruits, grains and nuts are crops thatgenerate significant amount of residues at the processing sites.Bloods and bones from abattoirs and livestock wastes areanimal residues of importance.INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIALS AND PRODUCTSFROM AGRO-WASTESA raw material is that primary input which when subjected tosome chemical and/or physical processes becomes convertedto a valuable product that can be exchanged for money (Fasina,1985). To a palm oil mill, palm fruit is the raw material, whilepalm oil, palm kernel and palm fruit fibres are end products.The palm kernel is the raw material for the production of palmkernel oil, which is subsequently used for the production ofvegetable oils and soaps. In the same vein, palm fruit fibres areused for the production of furfural (Saad et al, 1978). Furfuralis a raw material for the production of phenol – furfural resins5