Market Survey BY: DR P. CHENNAKRISHNAN TIME TO STEP UP TAPIOCA PRODUCTION A new demand has emerged for tapioca-based raw materials as various industries affected due to rising costs of maize have started using tapioca starch as an alternative to maize starch. cassava had been effectively dis- tributed throughout tropical Asia. Expansion of cassava production in the 19th century was hastened by colonial administrations—first, by the initiation of a cassava process- ing and export industry in Malaysia in the 1850s followed by one in Java, and second, by the promotion of cas- sava as a famine reserve, particu- larly by the Dutch in Java and the British in southern India. Cultivation of cassava is largely confined to the tropics in the devel- oping countries of Asia, Sub-Saha- ran Africa and Latin America. The word tapioca comes from the Brazilian Tupi word ‘tipi’oca.’ Cassava plants Ty means ‘juice,’ pya means ‘heart,’ and oca means ‘remove.’ Removing the heart and juice of the root is how tapioca is extracted. The root is har- apioca is a starch that sava three to five thousand years be- vested and the pulp inside is boiled comes from the roots fore the plant was distributed across down to release a cyanide-based of a shrub-like plant the US and elsewhere. In the 15th toxin. From here, it can take many called cassava. By itself, century, slave traders and the Por- different forms. tapioca is nearly fla- tuguese brought cassava to the Afri- Cassava has many names across Tvourless. It is most commonly used can continent. Cassava reached Asia many continents. In the area around as a food thickener, and is perhaps around the 17th century, when the Brazil, it is called madioca. In Africa best known as an ingredient in tapi- Spanish brought it from Mexico for where French is spoken, it is called oca pudding. planting in Philippines. In the 18th manioc. In Spanish-speaking coun- The origins of cassava are many, century, the Dutch brought cassava tries, it goes by the name of yuca. but the principle origin is in the into Indonesia. Originally, Thais called it ‘man tropical areas of the American con- Cassava was introduced from mai’ or ‘man samrong.’ Presently, it tinents, especially in South America. Java to Mauritius in 1740 and from is called ‘man samphalang,’ which Countries such as Guatemala, Mexi- Mauritius to Sri Lanka in 1796. By is similar to the Javanese word for co, Peru, and Honduras planted cas- the beginning of the 19th century, cassava, ‘sampeu.’ This cash crop JANUARY 2012 • FACTS FOR YOU 23 Market Survey generates a tremendous amount Table I production in Tamil Nadu has been of revenue for Thailand. Thailand due to very high productivity of cas- is currently the largest producer India’s State-wise sava in the state (about 46.32 tonnes Tapioca Production per hectare in 1996-97). This was the and exporter of tapioca flour in in 2009-10 the world. Cassava was first com- result of adopting high-yielding vari- mercially planted in the south of State Production Share eties like H-165 and H-226 as well Thailand between rows of natural (‘000 tonnes) (per cent) as better management of the crop rubber trees. Much of it is planted Tamil Nadu 6992.19 70.24 through the use of irrigation. The in the province of Songkhla. Many Kerala 2516.76 25.28 shift in focus of the crop from Kerala factories were established there to Andhra Pradesh 357.54 3.59 to Tamil Nadu was also evident from produce tapioca starch and tapioca Meghalaya 26.42 0.27 the percentage contribution of the two states towards national cassava pearl for export to Singapore and Pondicherry 25.00 0.25 Malaysia. However, the amount of production. Assam 18.38 0.18 planted cassava gradually decreased In the 1940s, cassava became Karnataka 13.10 0.13 due to the encroachment of the rub- an important raw material for the ber trees as they fully grew. Nagaland 6.00 0.06 starch and sago industries estab- Planting area was then shifted Total 9955.39 — lished in Salem and Dharmapuri dis- to the east, such as Chonburi and tricts of Tamil Nadu. The cassava- Rayong. As market demand in- costs of maize have started using based starch industry has recorded a creased, planting area extended to tapioca starch as an alternative to high growth rate over the years. The other provinces, especially in the maize starch. The starch produced produce was marketed through well- north-east. from maize has been used as a ma- organised cooperative society. There are two types of cassava. jor raw material in industries like The use pattern in Tamil Nadu, The first is sweet cassava, which is textiles, pharmaceuticals, hygienic particularly in the Salem district used for human consumption. This food products, ice creams and adhe- has been quite different. Here cas- type has tough or tender flesh and sive industries including gum manu- sava was used principally in the is not bitter. It also has low hydrocy- facturing units. But the demand for processing factories and the demand anic acid content. This type is plant- maize increased alarmingly last year for direct consumption was negligi- ed all over the world at large scale. following the shortage of production ble. The existence of about 230 sago The second type is bitter cassava and increase in its usage as a poultry factories and 270 starch factories in with high hydrocyanic acid content. feed. this district was mainly responsible This is not suitable for human or Many industries shifted to maize for the increase in the production of animal consumption. It is suitable starch when tapioca starch price was cassava. It is interesting to note that for processing into products such as comparatively high. But now the the sago industry has taken roots in tapioca pellets, tapioca starch and trend has reversed. Industries are Salem district of Tamil Nadu. The alcohol. skipping maize and switching over first factor is the pioneering spirit of to tapioca starch. Textile units, in the entrepreneurs here, who manu- India production particular, have started using tapio- factured sago out of tapioca during ca starch as a raw material, pushing the 1940s. The area under tapioca culti- its prices. Several traders even stock Globalisation has impacted the vation in India for the period from tapioca starch in advance. production and use of tapioca. In or- 2000-01 to 2009-10 is given in Table Although Kerala tops in tapi- der to revive this industry and im- II. The area under tapioca was 19.2 oca production in the country, Ta- prove the income and employment million hectare during 2000-01. This mil Nadu with 82,000 hectares un- of the rural masses through the increased in the next year itself to der tapioca cultivation stands first cultivation of tapioca, a study titled 19.5 million hectare. The produc- in terms of processing tapioca into Tapioca and Sago (sabudana) Serve tion of tapioca was 6,768,000 metric starch and tapioca pearls. Salem Marketing in India–An Overview– tonnes in 2000-01. The maximum district of Tamil Nadu plays a major An Analysis was undertaken to: production in India was 8,060,000 role in serving the domestic tapioca 1. Throw light on the area, pro- MT in 2009-10. starch market. duction and yield of cassava and its A new demand has emerged for Tamil Nadu accounts for more uses in the world tapioca-based raw materials as vari- than 30 per cent of the cassava area 2. Find out the area, production ous industries affected due to rising in India. The remarkable increase in and yield of cassava in India 24 FACTS FOR YOU • JANUARY 2012 Market Survey 3. Examine the state-wise area, Table II Importance of cassava in production and yield of cassava in economic development India India’s Tapioca Production 4. Study the area, production and During 2000-01 to 2009-10 Cassava is a relatively neglected yield of cassava in Tamil Nadu Year Area Production tropical root crop. Important in the Another study titled An Analysis (million (million MT) economy of poor households, it is hectare) of the International Market poten- one of the major sources of subsist- tial for Dried Cassava and Cassava 2000-01 19.2 6.768 ence and cash income to farmers in Starch discussed the international 2001-02 19.5 6.516 climatically disadvantaged regions. market for cassava starch and cas- 2002-03 20.0 6.318 Cassava provides livelihood to up to sava feeds. The study concluded that 2003-04 22.0 6.058 500 million farmers and countless international demand for cassava 2004-05 25.0 6.590 processors and traders around the would depend on reductions in the world. It is the basic staple food for 2005-06 25.3 7.520 cost of production, changes in trade millions of people in the tropical and 2006-07 25.5 8.232 policies affecting cassava and other sub-tropical belt. The International feed ingredients, and improved regu- 2007-08 27.0 9.056 Food Policy Research Institute (IF- larity for supply. 2008-09 28.0 9.623 PRI) in 1999 projected that there 2009-10 23.2 8.060 will be an increase in the global de- World production Source: Tapioca Starch Association in India 2000- mand for cassava up to 68 per cent 2010 by 2020. Global cassava production has In 1990, Thailand accounted been increasing continuously since cent decrease was mainly attributed for almost 76 per cent of the total 2008.