Dolomite Rates for Trees: What the DOA Schedules Actually Cover
Decision details
Fits if: Growers checking whether a recorded dolomite or lime pack matches a crop-specific published schedule before purchase.
Main drawback: The cited materials do not provide a per-tree oil-palm rate or a current supplier quote.
Compare: Exact crop and age; soil-pH band where the banana guide applies; package unit and timing; labelled product and pack; dated asking versus delivered total.
In this guide
Short answer: a rate for one crop is not a rate for another
A grower asks, “How many kilos of dolomite should I spread around an oil palm?” The DOA examples cited on this page do not give an oil-palm amount. They do show two useful boundaries: a dated GML-per-tree schedule for durian and a pH-banded field-lime schedule for banana land preparation. Neither supplies a palm rate.
What the cited crop packages say
| Crop and source | Recorded lime/GML entry | Scope to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Durian, DOA Technology Package 2012, Table 9 | GML 0.5 kg/tree/year at ages 1–2; 1 kg at ages 3–4; 2 kg at ages 5–6; 3 kg at age 7; two applications/year | Historical durian age schedule only; GML is not listed for ages 8–20 [source] |
| Banana, DOA Technology Package 2009 | 2.5 t/ha for soil pH 5.0–5.5; 5.0 t/ha for pH 4.5–5.0; 7.5 t/ha below pH 4.5; the 7.5 t/ha entry is specified for two liming applications | Banana field preparation; on acidic soil, liming at least 14 days before planting [source] |
| Oil palm | No per-tree rate in these cited crop examples | Do not convert the durian or banana figures into a palm amount |
The durian table is explicitly from the 2012 edition; the current applicability of those rates is not established here. The banana numbers are from a 2009 guide and apply to its stated pH bands and land-preparation context. A grower looking for an oil-palm rate needs a palm-specific reference, not a conversion from either row.
Compare the recorded pack askings
| Listing as captured | Dated asking | Simple asking per kg |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kg repack; title names dolomite fertilizer | RM6.00 [source] | RM6.00/kg |
| 5 kg GML / agricultural lime | RM10.00 [source] | RM2.00/kg |
| 25 kg GML / agricultural lime; listing states approx. 34% CaO and 16.5% MgO | RM30.00 [source] | RM30.00 ÷ 25 kg = RM1.20/kg [source] |
These are dated marketplace askings. The repack listing and the GML listings do not establish that the products are identical. The 5 kg and 25 kg figures are lower per kilogram in these observations, but freight, current availability and delivered totals are not included. Compare the product label and full delivered quote, not only pack size.
Before choosing quantity
- Write down the exact crop and tree age, or the land-preparation use and soil-pH band if you are following the banana example.
- Use only the row whose crop and context match; do not turn a per-hectare figure into a per-tree amount without an applicable crop schedule.
- Compare the product name and label composition against the package’s named input.
- Ask for the exact pack, current product price, shipping and delivered total; the figures above are 2 October 2026 asking observations.
- If your crop is oil palm, obtain a palm-specific rate before deciding how much to buy.
The related dolomite price page handles the wider dated price comparison. This page does not provide a current seller quote or an oil-palm application rate.
Compare the whole purchase after confirming the required quantity
For the same labelled product, packs needed = round up (confirmed required kg ÷ net kg per pack). Delivered total = pack count × current pack price + all order charges − a confirmed discount. Compare the total payment and leftover product as well as price per kilogram. Do not use this arithmetic to choose a crop rate.
The dated asking rows above compare different listing identities, so they do not prove the 25 kg offer is the best purchase. Ask for the exact label, pack, current price and order charges; a small requirement may leave much of a larger pack unused.
Frequently asked questions
How many kilos of dolomite should I spread around an oil palm?
The cited references do not give an oil-palm per-tree quantity. Do not reuse the durian tree-age schedule or the banana field-preparation rate for palms [source] [source].
What does the DOA durian schedule say?
The 2012 DOA edition lists GML at 0.5 kg/tree/year for ages 1–2, 1 kg for ages 3–4, 2 kg for ages 5–6 and 3 kg at age 7, in two applications each year. GML is not listed for ages 8–20 in that table; these are historical durian figures, not a palm recommendation [source].
Does the banana lime rate apply to other crops?
No. The 2009 DOA banana package lists 2.5, 5 or 7.5 tonnes/ha across named soil-pH bands and specifies 7.5 tonnes/ha for two liming applications; its acidic-soil timing is before planting. Keep that example within banana land preparation; it is not a per-tree rate [source].
Can dolomite replace NPK fertilizer?
The cited crop packages list lime/GML separately from the NPK or other fertilizer programme. Compare the exact product label and the crop package; the references here do not say that a lime product replaces NPK.