Cassava and cassava starch: The production, processing and marketing of cassava and sour cassava starch in Mondomo, Colombia

Para estudiar las relaciones existentes entre el cultivo y el mercadeo de la yuca y los canales potenciales de mercadeo del almidon de yuca, se escogio el area de Mondomo, Colombia, debido a la presencia de ensayos de campo del CIAT en la region. Se realizaron entrevistas a nivel de finca, rallanderias, intermediarios y mayoristas-minoristas. La economia agricola esta dominada por un no. limitado de alternativas de cultivo. Se describe el proceso de produccion de almidon y se analiza la situacion economica de las rallanderias. Se presenta una descripcion del intermediario, el almacenamiento del producto, la absorcion de riesgos, transporte, credito, control de calidad y clasificacion, comunicacion y rentabilidad. Tambien se considera al consumidor final. Se incluye un analisis general del canal de mercado del almidon agrio proveniente de las vecindades de Santander de Quilichao donde se cultivan aprox. 4200-4800 ha de yuca (5000 t de almidon/ano). Los programas de mejoramiento se deben concentrar en la seleccion de var. tolerantes a suelos de baja fertilidad y con alta productividad de almidon/ha, se debe investigar la relacion entre el uso de fertilizantes y el contenido de almidon y se requieren estudios para solucionar problemas de erosion relacionados con el cultivo de la yuca. El 80 por ciento de los costos de las rallanderias corresponde a la materia prima. (CIAT) spa

To study the relationships between the cassava crop and its marketing and the potential marketing channels for cassava starch, the Mondomo area in Colombia was chosen due to the presence of CIAT field trials in the region. Surveys were conducted at the farm, small-scale rasping industry, middleman, and wholesaler-retailer levels. The agricultural economy is dominated by a limited no. of crop alternatives. The starch production process is described and the economic situation of the small-scale rasping industries is analyzed. A description of the middleman, product, storage, risk absorption, transportation, credit, quality control and classification, communication, and profitability is given. The end user is also considered. A general analysis is included of the marketing channel of sour starch coming from the vecinity of Santander de Quilichao, where approx. 4200-4800 ha of cassava (5000 t of starch/yr) are grown. The breeding programs should focus on the selection of var. tolerant to low fertility soils and with high starch yields/ha, the relationship between fertilizer use and starch content should be investigated and studies to solve theerosion problems related to the cultivation of cassava are required. Of the costs involved in the small-scale rasping industries, 80 percent corresponds to the raw material. (CIAT) eng