Trends in Global Cassava Production and Utilization

Subash DasguptaSenior Plant Production Officer

FAO Regional Office for Asia and the pacificBangkok, Thailand

28 June 2011

World Tapioca Conference , Bangkok, Thailand

Advantage of Cassava production

- Food security Crop- Important component of diet for more than I

billion population- More attention to indigenous crop- Alternative to expensive cereals- Emerging as energy security crop- Donor support for biofuel initiative- Brining marginal farmers into cash economy• Ability to tolerate highly unfavourable

environmental conditions

Emerging Issues

• A competitive substitute of maize for starch and ethanol production

• Competition for land with cereals• Deforestation (mainly Viet Nam) for land• Ethanol Plants (Indonesia, Thailand, China and Viet

Nam)• Growing domestic and international market• Market is very competitive in terms of price and volume• Conflict between food and energy• Interest to this crop has been growing• Demand in China is growing

Table . World cassava market at a glance Component 2008 2009 2010 Change

2010 over 2009

World Production

(million tonnes fresh root equiv.)

239.9 251.0 248.7 - 0.9%

Trade 18.9 28.2 29.2 3.8

Trade -share of production (%)

7.9 11.2 11.8 4.8

Cassava Price (USD/tonne)

Items 2008 2009 2010 Changes 2010 over 2009

Chips to China

171.1 137.4 199.1 52.4

Starch 383.6 281.3 496.0 87.1

Thai domestic root prices

57.2 41.4 76.1 98.8

Cassava Production in Asia (million tonnes)

Countries 2007 2008 2009 2010

Thailand 26.9 25.16 30.08 22.00

Indonesia 19.99 21.59 22.04 22.50Viet Nam 8.19 9.34 8.56 8.70

India 8.23 9.06 9.62 10.00China 7.88 8.30 8.70 8.00Cambodia 2.22 3.68 3.50 3.60Philippines 1.87 1.94 2.04 2.20

Other Asia 1.11 1.61 1.10 1.17

Cassava Yield in some Asian countries in 2009

Yield (t/ha)

Thailand 22.68

Viet Nam 16.82

Cambodia 22.27

Laos 14.71

Myanmar 13.40

Potential yield 30-35 t/ha with existing technologies

Major Cassava producing countries (million tonnes)

Countries 2007 2008 2009 2010

Nigeria 43.41 44.58 45.00 45.70

Brazil 26.64 26.54 26.60 26.00

Indonesia 19.99 21.59 22.04 22.50

Thailand 26.92 25.16 30.08 22.00

Congo 15.00 15.01 15.03 15.10

Angola 9.73 10.06 12.83 13.50

Ghana 10.22 11.35 12.23 12.50

India 8.23 9.06 9.62 10.00

Recommendations

• Improving supply sides by increasing productivity and improving processing technologies

• Need variety having resistance to pests and higher starch contents

• Increased use of biotechnology in developing modern varieties

• Develop intensive production and processing methods for small-scale farmers

Continuation

• Creation of an appropriate policy framework to sustain it food security crop

• Cutting down post-harvest losses through investment in processing technologies

• Integrated farmers in value chain and interact with livestock and energy value chains

THANK YOU