CASSAVA VALUE CHAIN OPERATORS SHOULD NOT WASTE THE SUNNY SEASONS

The months of intense dry season is a period to take fully advantage of Nature Free Sunlight for dehydration and production of relevant cassava products. In the South West Nigeria, from the month of November till February or March of the following year, we shall enjoy full radiation of sunlight, which we should not again miss its usefulness.

Sadly, this is the season that most farmers in the South West relax their activities. And cassava processors too do not have access to adequate quantity of raw material supply. This largely due to the fact that many harvesting of tubers becomes more tedious in this season of soil hardness and also because many farmers want to keep stems against the next planting season.

The convinience and cost benefits of utilizing sun drying during this season, in the face of high cost of procuring mechanical dehydrating system and the challenges associated with manual drying during wet season, override the concern and challenges stated above. For the excuses of tedious labour of harvesting from hard soil, there are simple mechanical tools that could make the work easier. Even, if it means spending extra N5000 on harvesting an acre, the profit benefits from selling/processing in that season will justify the extra cost. And for those who want stems preserved for next planting, reserving only one - quarter of their entire farm will be enough to plant the whole farm when the time comes.

Seriously, we just need to borrow ourselves some senses. The profitability production efficiency, quality output and other advantages associated with dry season operations are far more than the best of the raining periods. Apart from the high efficient and low cost dehydration, fermentation in garri, fufu and other related production is more accelerated and thorough in the dry season than the wet season. Because of low moisture content in the harvested tuber, starch content is at its peak during the dry season, which of great benefit in cassava starch and ethanol production. Accelerated drying of peeled cassava chips achievable during dry season could produce super white, good quality cassava flour when milled.

Market for cassava Chips is fastly increasing locally and globally. Ethanol and livestock feed manufacturing companies in the country are growing in their annual demands for cassava chips as raw material. There demands in some West Africa countries that largely depend on supply from Nigeria to fulfill their industrial raw material demand. Huge export demands from Europe and Asia that are unmet are still there. This area of cassava value addition has been identified as the safe haven for large scale farmers who want to make more from their investment. It's technical simplicity and relatively low entry capital requirements are part of the reasons that makes it a sensible direction to consider.

Prospective and existing cassava chips manufacturers should take advantage of dry sunny season to produce cassava chips in large quantity. If well dried, it can be stored until the heart of the raining season when the price will be at its peak. Cassava Chips production as a business is highly recommended for prospective and new entrants in the business. And efforts should be made to operate it as cluster production in order to consistently and timely generate adequate quantity that would attract serious large scale buyers.

Clearly, it is not every operators in cassava processing business that would be able to afford procuring mechanical dehydrators. And this sunlight that nature has given us for free must not be left unutilized during its seasons. It is our own responsibility to apply wisdom in what we are doing and all our efforts shall be blessed.

God no go shame us.

Kazeem Lamidi

https:///2348100975775

NOTE:
Kindly contact me if you are in need of large quantity of UNPEELED CASSAVA CHIPS within the South West Nigeria.

I can also be of assistance if you intend to set up cassava chips production in your farm area.

Call: +2348100975775
WhatsApp, click: https:///2348100975775