Cassava Starch Production | Market Demand |10 Essential Processing lines |

INTRODUCTION

Cassava starch production is an area of production that can be lucrative if done properly. Wet cassava starch is produced by traditional cassava processors either as a direct product or as a by-product resulting from cassava processing into other products such as gari, fufu e.t.c. Post-harvest loss is high for cassava roots due to the inadequacy of the traditional processing method and the inability to convert cassava into less perishable products. To reverse this trend, there is a need to mechanize cassava processing. The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) has developed and perfected the process technology for cassava starch production useful for various applications in the user industries. In Nigeria, mechanized cassava processing is still on the developmental stage and the potential is very high.

Traditionally cassava is one of the main foods to the Nigerian farmers. It is also widely consumed in other African countries. The cassava roots are used for making different kinds of local foods such as starch, ethanol, flour, and garri. Besides they are also used for making akpu and lafun. Cassava is randomly produced in every nook and corner of Nigeria. Nigerians say, if they produce it commercially it will be the substitute to white-gold even oil, exporting which they can earn a lot of foreign currency which will boost up their economy as well as it will create job opportunities which will help to eradicate employment problem. That will raise the country to the level of the developed state.

 

 

MARKET DEMAND FOR CASSAVA STARCH

Nigeria cassava starch market is segmented on the basis of type, form, grade, function and application. The growth among segments helps you analyse niche pockets of growth and strategies to approach the market and determine your core application areas and the difference in your target markets.

• On the basis of type of starch, the market is segmented into starch hydrolysate, native starch and modified starch. Starch hydrolysate segment is dominating the market as cassava offers high hydrolysis rate over other crop like corn, potato and others. Cassava starch is organic source of rich carbon supply in food application and new trend of organic food is further accelerating the growth of hydrolysate cassava starch market.  
• On the basis of form, the market is segmented into dry and liquid. Dry segment is dominating the market due to less expense on powder form for storage and transpiration operation as compared to liquid which is driving the segment growth.
• On the basis of grade, the market is segmented into food, industrial and feed. The food industry is dominating the market owing to increased consumption of cassava starch in food products. The Nigerian government enforced restriction on cassava starch import to promote the local manufacturing of cassava starch which is augmenting the market growth. The agriculture sector is growing at tremendous rate in Nigeria while for industrialisation government is taking initiative which will help sector to grow in future.
• On the basis of function, the market is segmented into texturizing, binding/adhesion, gelling, stabilizing, thickening, moisture– retention, film forming agents, sizing and coating. The texturizing is the dominating segment as cassava starch is majorly used in the food and beverages industry to improve the texture of the food products or beverages. As the cassava starch is majorly used in the food industry in Nigeria the major function of starch is to improve the texture of food to create impression on customer mind.
• On the basis of application, the market is segmented into food & beverages and industrial. Food and beverages segment is dominating the market owing to high consumption in food and beverages products’ application to improve the taste. The demand of cassava starches in food and beverages products is higher due to enhanced taste offered by the cassava starch with added proteins.

• The global cassava starch market Size was valued at USD 40.53 billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 66.84 billion by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.50% during the forecast period.

 

CROP PRODUCTION BY NIGERIAN STATES

Cassava can grow very easily in drought zone where rainfall is very limited. For their harden and tough capacity to survive in the drought, Nigerian farmers choose cassava to produce. Whole cassava from root to leave is consumable. They can make soup from cassava leaves also feed this leaves to their poultry animals. Besides cassava roots are used for multifarious purposes such as they are used to reproduce cassava, to produce mushroom, even they are used as firewood to cook food. Cassava root can be eaten fresh or by cooking and they can be crushed into flour to make flatbread. If it is industrially used, it can be raw materials for producing poultry feed pellets.

Starch and Flour made from Cassava

Indigenous peoples traditional food is cassava bread. It has miracle power to protect against modern diseases namely cardiovascular disease, diabetes, blood pressure and obesity. Cassava is also used in America as manioc or yuca. For so many splendid qualities it is used all over the world as a staple food.

• Cassava Starch

Cassava roots are washed and pulped, then the wet pulped are squeezed to extract liquid to dry it. After water is removed from the wet pulp then the topica flour remains. Then this substance is used by food, paper, textile industries as well as in mineral wool and clay too.

• Cassava Flour

Indigenous people of Nigeria used cassava roots to make flour through their old traditional way to make their soft course meal, it is also considered as moist cornmeal.Gluten free and wheat free flour is good for our digestive system. People suffer from celiac disease can select the bread made from cassava flour.

CASSAVA STARCH  PRODUCTION PROCESS

The basic unit operations in cassava starch production from fresh cassava roots are:

• Sorting and Weighing: The tubers are sorted to select the wholesome roots for production. The tubers are then weighed.
• Peeling: The weighed cassava roots peeled manually to reduce high peeling loss associated with mechanical peelers due to the irregular shape of cassava root.
• Washing: Peeled root is washed with sufficient quantity of potable water to remove sand, dirt and other contaminants.
• Grating: The root is grated to cassava mash.
• Detoxification: The cassava mash is detoxified mechanically in a mash agitator for a certain time to eliminate the toxic hydrogen cyanide present in cassava.
• Dewatering: The moisture content of the mash is reduced mechanically to about 50% to prepare for drying operation.
• Granulation: The resultant cake from the dewatering process is disintegrated into fine granules using a hammer mill.
• Drying: Granulation process is followed by the drying of operation to produce cassava flour of desired quality.
• Milling: The flour obtained is milled to the desired particle size.

RAW MATERIAL, SUPPLIES, AND UTILITIES

Fresh cassava root is the only raw material for the production of Cassava Starch. Cassava is grown in almost all the states in Nigeria and Nigeria has been rated the highest producer of cassava in the world. The major item of supplies is packaging materials. Others supplies requirements include factory wears (overall, hand gloves, factory shoe, nose mask), cleansing agents, disinfectants, etc. Electricity, diesel (for generator and project truck), Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) for firing the flash dryer, and water are the major utility requirements.

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT

The major equipment for the production of basic Cassava Starch is Hammer Mill Grater, Starch Extractor, Sedimentation Tank, Hydraulic Press, Granulator, Flash Dryer, Packaging Machine and Weighing Machine. These can be fabricated at FIIRO. The cost of the equipment with a capacity of 4 tonnes of Cassava Starch per day is N12, 036,060. This includes the cost of installation.

LABOUR REQUIREMENT

Both skilled and unskilled labour is required for this project. A total of about 42 workers are required for production, marketing, and administration.

CAPITAL REQUIREMENT

The estimated total initial investment is N31, 185,650. This consists of the initial fixed capital N23, 316,360 (including factory building, machinery and equipment, generator, project vehicle, office furniture and equipment, and borehole), initial working capital N5,602,070.00 and pre-production expenses N2,267,220.00.

SPACE REQUIREMENT

Two plots of land are adequate for the project.

 

 

References

[1] Courtesy: Manufacturing Today. Industrial starch production

[2] Courtesy: Material from Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, Industrial Profile on cassava starch production

[3] https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/cassava-starch-market-102415

[4] https://www.abcmach.com/news/cassava-flour-starch-processing-plant-in-Nigeria.html

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