Globally, one of the commodities in high demand is cassava starch, a starch made by leaching and drying the root of the cassava plant. Over the years, industries have risen and have taken over the global market due to its rapid growth and the investments made to keep industries running. However for industries to keep moving, majority of them depend on cassava starch to produce most of the end products we consume today.
Reports have revealed that the market size for cassava starch was estimated at USD 40.53 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow to USD 66.84 billion by 2026, with a CAGR of 6.50%. The global cassava starch market stood at 6.9 million metric tons in 2020.
Cassava starch is utilized as an inert carrier in the pharmaceutical industry, the manufacture of paper and textiles, and other non-food industries. Most foreign markets are in need of cassava starch for day-to-day production.
Cassava starch, which has a relatively mild flavor, and the effluents produced by processing units for it are both inexpensive feedstocks that could be employed as prospective raw materials for commercial applications like ethanol production.
According to recent estimates, the annual starch demand in Nigeria alone is roughly 67,100 tonnes, and 350,000 tonnes of fresh cassava roots are required to meet that need.
African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria can benefit hugely from the high demand placed on cassava starch on the international market. This owes to the fact that Ghana and Nigeria produce and supply the majority of cassava consumed around the world.
Meanwhile, these two countries have less experience in processing cassava into starch. This is however, one of the ultimate aim of TIAST Group, which is to add value to crops like cassava to aid African countries earn much from what is being produced.
It is about time that Africa stands up and benefit from the production of cassava starch. The economic benefits that comes along with processing cassava into starch are enormous thus a must for Africa to trod the road of agricultural industrialization.
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