Association President Opposes Cassava Chips Export

The President of Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA), Mr Segun Adewumi, has opposed the idea of exporting cassava chips from the country.
Adewumi said in an interview with newsmen in Lagos recently that the exportation of the product could lead to food shortages in Nigeria and dependence on foreign foods.
He said exporting cassava chips was like exporting crude oil and importing refined products at high cost to the detriment of the economy.
Adewumi said cassava chips should be processed into industrial starch, ethanol and bio-gas, instead of exporting them and later buying the products from Asia.
“The IITA has said that we are the largest producer in the world.
“To us in NCGA, exportation of cassava chips is like slavery.
“Cassava chip is dewatered cassava, the same thing like raw crude oil, which we are supposed to refine here.
“What we do is send raw cassava out to Asian countries; they process it into different products and send them back to us at higher prices.
“So exporting cassava chips is like exporting our employment,’’ he said.
According to Adewumi, exporting cassava chips is not an option but exportation of industrial starch and other products from cassava will be appreciated.
He said that many farmers were under-pricing their produce.
“You produce cassava chips at N80,000 the exporter will take it from you for N40,000 because our farmers do not do their costing properly.
“To make a tonne of cassava chips, you need two and half tonnes of tubers, which is about N40,000.
“Then bagging, transportation and other expenses will bring the cost to about N80,000,’’ Adewumi said.
Commenting on the policy for the inclusion of 10 per cent cassava flour in bread, the association president said that the policy had been sabotaged.
He said bakers had not embraced the policy and as such cassava flour in bread was less than one per cent.
“I want to commend the immediate past Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, for designing some good policies to enhance agriculture.
“Presently, we do not have up to one per cent cassava flour inclusion in bread baking.
“We suggest that a Cassava Development Commission be created to implement the policy,’’ Adewumi said.