SNIPPETS 27 APRIL 2026

Palm Oil: Palm oil is derived from the fruit of the African oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis)+ Types: Crude palm oil (extract from fruit pulp): It is primarily used for cooking+ Palm kernel oil (extract from seed): It is used for non-edible purposes (Cosmetics, pharmaceuticals etc.)+ Oil palm trees are native to Africa+ Currently, Indonesia and Malaysia make up over 85% of global supply+ In India, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala are the major Oil palm growing States and account for 98% of the total production.

Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs): FFVs are modified vehicles, currently capable of operating entirely on gasoline or any blend of gasoline and ethanol (up to 83% or E83)+ Modern FFVs are increasingly designed to operate on higher blends, including E100 (pure ethanol)+ They have a conventional internal combustion engine similar to the existing gasoline-only vehicles except for their ethanol-compatible fuel system and a different powertrain calibration+ India is considering transition to FFVs to reduce dependence on imported crude.

Evaporative Demand: It can be defined as near maximum water that can evaporate if sufficient moisture is available+ It measures the thirst of the atmosphere+ Controlled by temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation+ Higher temperatures raise evapotranspiration, drying soils and vegetation even under adequate irrigation or moderate rainfall