Palm oil comes from the fruit of oil palm trees, scientifically known as Elaeis guineensis. These trees are native to West Africa but have been widely cultivated in tropical regions, especially in Southeast Asia

. The oil is extracted from the fleshy part of the fruit (producing crude palm oil) and from the kernel or seed inside the fruit (producing palm kernel oil)

. The main producers of palm oil today are Indonesia and Malaysia, which together account for over 85% of the global supply

. Other countries that produce palm oil include Nigeria, Thailand, Colombia, and several African nations, though on a smaller scale

. Oil palm trees require tropical climates with high temperatures, plenty of sunshine, and rainfall to grow, which limits their cultivation to regions near the equator

. The fruits are harvested from plantations and processed in mills to extract the oil, which is then refined for use in food products, cosmetics, biofuels, and more

. In summary, palm oil originates from the fruit of oil palm trees grown primarily in tropical regions, with Indonesia and Malaysia being the dominant producers globally