A METHOD FOR STERILIZING OIL PALM FRUITLETS COMPRISING: SEPARATING THE FRUITLETS FROM THE BUNCHES WITH A STRIPPING MEANS (102) GENERATING HEATED AIR BY COMBUSTION OF THE BUNCHES IN A TUNNEL KILN (105) AND STEAMING THE HEATED FRUITLETS IN A CHIMNEY (106) UNDER A FLOW OF STEAM PRODUCED BY SPRAYING HOT WATER INTO THE THE HEATED AIR. THE MOST ILLUSTRATIVE DRAWING: FIGURE 1.