Palm | Kelapa Sawit

Kentia Palms are grown all over the world. Except for certian areas within Europe, Kentia production is mainly done in an outdoor field environment.
In Europe where Kentias are grown in enclosed greenhouses the production cost to produce a Kentia Palm is a lot less than a Kentia Palm produced outdoors. Growers using enclosed facilities to produce Kentias are able to maintain a constant growing temperature year round, and are not subjected to the outside elements of fluctuating weather conditions. A saleable product can be available within three years growing Kentias this way. Of course there are costs such as electricity and gas associated with owning a heated greenhouse that don't apply to growing Kentias in the field and under shade, but most growers in Europe get a very subsidized discount from their Governments for agriculture production.
Field grown Kentias in California can take anywhere from five to eight years of production to be ready as a saleable plant. Growing time is slowed during the winter months because of the drop in temperature. Plants virtually become dormant and not a lot of growth development will occur.

Therefore the production cost of a field grown Kentia Palm compared to an indoor produced Kentia virtually comes down to growth time. Caring for a field grown Kentia for a period of five to eight years involves a lot of time and expense and that is why a saleable Kentia Palm in the U.S. can be expensive.