Harvesting a legacy: the evolution of palm oil’s global footprint – a strategic journey of economic growth and sustainability

Purpose This study aims to explore the evolution of global palm oil export strategies through a bibliometric and scientometric analysis, emphasizing Malaysia’s role as a leading exporter. It investigates the scientific knowledge structure that informs policy, sustainability and economic growth in the palm oil sector from 1967 to 2022. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a comprehensive bibliometric and scientometric analysis using 594 publications from the Web of Science database, employing the Biblioshiny tool in R Studio. The study identifies conceptual clusters, collaboration networks, citation patterns and thematic evolutions over five decades of palm oil export research. Findings The analysis reveals that Malaysia, alongside the USA and England, has been a central contributor to palm oil export research. Seven major thematic clusters emerged, including “Palm Oil,” “Remote Sensing” and “National Policy.” Malaysia’s strategic policies, sustainability initiatives and innovation programs have played a pivotal role in strengthening its export performance. The findings also show an exponential increase in scientific output since 2009 and highlight collaborative trends among global institutions. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to data from the Web of Science database and may not fully capture all relevant literature. Future studies could expand coverage by including other databases such as Scopus or Google Scholar. Methodological triangulation with qualitative content analysis may further enrich the findings. Practical implications The results provide actionable insights for policymakers and agribusiness leaders in developing sustainable and competitive palm oil export strategies. They emphasize the importance of advanced technologies (e.g. remote sensing and AI) and institutional coordination in enhancing environmental monitoring, regulatory compliance and export efficiency. Social implications By analyzing the impact of palm oil on employment, rural development and deforestation, the study underscores the need for inclusive and sustainable growth models. It highlights how smallholders and local communities can benefit from policy support and technological integration in the palm oil value chain. Originality/value This is the first study to map the intellectual structure of palm oil export research using a macro-level bibliometric approach. It integrates environmental, technological and economic dimensions while illustrating how a resource-based industry like palm oil can catalyze economic transformation through strategic governance and innovation.