Palm industry is one of important Agro-Industries to economy and people living of Southern Thailand. At present, government set the policy to increase the area for crop the palm and also expand to the Northeastern.  The product of  palm is crude palm oil, then distilled to palm oil for being consumed and processed to value added products including food and non-food.  In addition to palm oil, palm extract process also produces other by-products such as fiber, shell and cluster. These can be further processed to value added products.

Nowadays government supports the use of  palm oil to produce Bio-Diesel for replacing the gasoline. The Faculty of Agro-Industry, Prince of Songkla University then comprehend the important of palm oil industry to the Southern community. For this purpose, Palm Oil Products and Technology Research Center (POPTEC) was founded by two groups of the researchers in the fields of value added product and wastewater treatment  and also including the researchers in the  field of clean technology in palm oil industry. Moreover, there are many researchers continuously conducting the research of  palm oil for long time.

Vision

To be the excellence in research and development on production of valuable products from palm oil and palm oil milling wastes as well as promote the use of clean technology to improve production efficiency and environment.

Mission

Research to strengthen the economics, social, knowledge and human resources as well as natural resources
and environment.

Current researches

• Hydrogen and Methane (Biohythane) Production from Palm Oil Mill Effluent by   Thermophilic Two-Stage Anaerobic Processes and Applications of  Biohythane.  (Leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Poonsuk Prasertsan)
• Process Development for Utilizaton and Treatment of Effluent and Sludge after Biogas Production of Palm Oil Mill. (Leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Poonsuk Prasertsan)
• Optimization for Production of Sugar from Empty Fruit Bunch by Biological Method and Utilization for Alcohol Production. (Leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aran  Hanpongkittikun)
• Production of Monoglycerides (MAG) from Palm Oil and Application as Emulsifier (Leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aran  Hanpongkittikun)
• Optimization of Biodiesel Production from Plam Oil by Transesterification Reaction Catalyzed by Immobilized Lipase-Producing Yeast Cells. (Leader: Asst. Prof. Dr. Tipparat Hongpattarakere )
• Laccase Production from Palm Empty Fruit Bunches using Solid State Fermentation for  Microbial Fuel Cell. (Leader: Asst. Prof. Dr. Piyarat Boonsawang)
• Production of Paper from the Waste of Oil Palm Plantation. (Leader: Dr. Waranyou Sridach)
• Production,Properties and Potential Application of Cellulose and Cellulose Derivatives from Palm Pressed Fiber. (Leader: Asst. Prof. Dr. Thawean Wittaya)
• Development of Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol Production from Palm Fiber and Palm Cake by Clostridium sp. (Leader: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Benjamas Cheirsilp)