Suchergebnisse

In China, cassava is planted mainly in the southern provinces of Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan and Yunnan. The annual total area and production is about 400,000 ha and 6,000,000 tonnes of fresh roots, respectively. Guangxi is the main cassava producing province with more than 60% of both cassava growing area and production. Following the success of research on cassava product development and the development and dissemination of promising varieties, the cassava yield in the province has increased substantially during the last ten years. The cassava processing industry is mainly concentrated in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces. Of the approximately 525,000 tonnes of cassava-based products processed annually in China, 73% comes from Guangxi, about 20% from Guangdong, 6% from Hainan and 2% from Yunnan. About 95% of these products are starch or modified starch. Considering the natural resource conditions and the rapid development of the cassava industry in Guangxi, it is clear that the present status and future potential of the cassava industry is more favorable in this province as compared to other provinces. Especially since the beginning of the 1990s, the cassava industry in Guangxi developed very fast. In view of the great potential to further develop this crop, the government of Guangxi has organized a group of experts to work out a future plan of cassava development in Guangxi for the next 20 years. Other cassava producing provinces have not yet developed similar plans.

Current global starch production is approximating 50 million tonnes. While the starch production growth rate steadily continues to surpass average population growth figures, the make-up by starch source and production regions have been changing. The world share of cassava-based starches may range between 4-6%. While Southeast Asia continues to lead as the foremost cassava starch production (and utilization) region, both within this region and in other continents the cassava starch industry and market patterns are changing. Starting in the late 1980s and accelerating during the 90s, Latin-American and (to a minor extent) African cassava starch processing has expanded. It is most likely that this basic trend will continue into the beginning of the 21st century. However, the new century brings with it both new threats as well as additional opportunities that will greatly impact on the competitiveness of cassava as a major starch source. The paper firstly summarizes the principal global trends of starch production, utilization and markets, paying special attention to the role of cassava. In addition, individual starch regions (US, EU, Asia) and their main players will be discussed. Secondly, the foremost global and regional technical, political and economic conditions that are currently coming about will be reviewed concerning their potential impact on global starch markets. Thirdly, a synthesis is formulated as to what the most probable implications are for cassava sector researchers and developers.

Cassava is planted each year in about 120,000 hectares of agricultural land in the Philippines, producing about 1.8 million tonnes of cassava roots. Principal products of the processing industry are food, dried chips and starch. As a traded commodity, however, cassava contributes only about 2% to gross value-adding in agriculture. The following factors favor the expansion of the industry: a) trends in associated commodities, b) dwindling prime agricultural land, c) expanding demand for cassava products, and d) availability of improved technologies. As a food crop, demand for cassava is increasing and this trend is expected to continue with the increase in population and improvements in techniques for transforming cassava roots into more stable, convenient and attractive products. Cassava has gained gradual acceptance as a high-energy component in commercial feed formulations. This is fueled by chronic shortages and the resulting high price of domestically produced maize. In specific locations, farmers now recognize that intercropping cassava with maize and given optimum care, this cropping system is economically comparable to two maize monocrops, and provides a more reliable income. The outlook for the cassava starch industry in the Philippines is rather bleak. Trade liberalization and the absence of real government assistance in improving productivity and efficiency are threatening the survival of this sector. The agricultural modernization program, which is supposed to cushion the impact of trade liberalization, virtually has had no funding during the first two years from its passage, and until now has not produced anything of practical significance. With the negative outlook for the Philippine sugar industry, cassava emerged as the most viable alternative source of raw material for production of alcohol for liquor. San Miguel Corporation has been investing heavily on plant construction and supply base development since 1995. The greatest challenge in the future will be to put in place a system that results in an adequate and stable year-round supply of cassava for the distillery. Strengthening the cassava industry in the Philippines requires strengthening the linkage between production and markets accompanied by improved access to credit, supportive government policies and appropriate technical support.

In Thailand cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is considered one of the most important economic crops. Thailand has demonstrated the importance of cassava as more than a subsistence crop, and has developed a large and complex industrial system for processing and marketing of the crop. Production of cassava has steadily increased during the 1970s and 80s through expansion of the planted area, but has decreased again since the early 1990s. The national average yield has remained rather constant at about 14.5 t/ha. Major production problems are declining soil productivity, soil erosion and farmers' poverty. Since 1959, products obtained from cassava have been a major export commodity for Thailand, assisted by relatively easy market access to the EU. In a bid to meet the increasing demand, rapid growth in the industry also led to certain weaknesses. Cassava roots are utilized for making dry chips, pellets, native starch, modified starch, MSG (monosodium glutamate), glucose, fructose, sorbitol, sago, citric acid, while starch is used in the paper, textile, and plywood industries. Of the products made from cassava, cassava starch and pellets are the only ones exported. Export companies are allocated export quotas of pellets to the EU market, but must seek new markets outside the EU to get a larger incentive quota for the EU. This helps to increase the farmers' income and reduce poverty.