Cassava: A Myth of Enormous Potency.

 

Given that cassava represents a valuable subsistence and cash crop in many countries, its agricultural potential in South Africa needs to be fully exploited. Cassava was introduced into Africa by sixteenth century Portuguese slave traders and has been cultivated in the rest of Africa for several hundred years.

Cassava is the most important tropical root crop. Its starchy roots are a major source of dietary energy for more than 500 million people. It is known to be the highest producer of carbohydrates among staple crops.

According to research, cassava ranks fourth as a food crop in the developing countries, after rice, maize and wheat. The leaves are relatively rich in protein and can be consumed.

Cassava can be stored in the ground for several seasons, thereby serving as a reserve food when other crops fail. Cassava is also increasingly used as an animal feed and in the manufacture of different industrial products. It is also used in industrial processes.

According to FAO estimates, 172 million tonnes of cassava was produced worldwide in 2000. Africa accounted for 54%, Asia for 28%, and Latin America and the Caribbean for 19% of the total world production.

In 1999, Nigeria produced 33 million tonnes, making it the world ’s largest producer. A total of 16.8 million hectares was planted with cassava throughout the world in 2000; about 64% of which was in sub-Saharan Africa.

The average yield in 2000 was 10.2 tonnes per hectare, but this varied from 1.8 tonnes per hectare in Sudan to 27.3 tonnes per hectare in Barbados. In Nigeria the average yield was 10.6 tonnes per hectare.

World cassava production is projected to increase to 209 million tons (fresh weight) by 2005 or 2.2 per cent annually as in the past, reflecting both yield improvements and area expansion.

World utilization is projected to increase by 2.3 per cent annually to 209 million tons. Sixty per cent of the total demand is for food, the remainder for other uses.

Cassava is the basis of a multitude of products, including food, flour, animal feed, alcohol, starches for sizing paper and textiles, sweeteners, prepared foods and bio-degradable products.

The products are derived from a number of forms of cassava, ranging from fresh leaves and roots to modified cassava starch. The degree of processing and the technical requirements tend to increase from the fresh form to the modified starch form.

All of the above products represent potential market development opportunities for cassava. While some cassava is sold as fresh roots or leaves, even these products usually receive some special post-harvest handling or treatment before they are consumed.

As cassava normally requires some form of processing before it can be consumed or sold, processing is of central importance in the future of the crop. While the market potentials are great, it must be remembered that these opportunities are location and time specific. Because of the specificity of market opportunities it is impossible to compile a list of priority market opportunities.

Products from cassava:

Cassava starch is used directly in different ways or as a raw material for further processing. Special features of cassava starch are its viscosity, resistance to shear stress and resistance to freezing. The main classes of starch-based products are:

• unmodified or native starch;
• modified (physical, chemical, biological) starches for industrial purposes;
• sweeteners, including high-fructose syrup and glucose (dextrin, monosodium glutamate, pharmaceuticals, among others.).

The aforementioned is brought to you, courtesy of National Mail.

National Mail is an online news platform of  Globe Chamber of Commerce and Trade Nigeria that focuses on business development, Investment, trade, economic exchange and development. 

Follow National Mail on twitter, LinkedIn, and Nairaland for your one stop news update!