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Dry weather: Gov’t monitoring cassava production

Oct 11, 2009 News

In light of the El Nino like conditions, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, says that Guyana is monitoring closely its cassava production and availability given its importance to hinterland food security.
According to the Minister, several of the already on-going El Nino response interventions are targeted at the cassava crop and there will be a renewed emphasis on the crop in the near future to allow for growing cassava and cassava-based products.
A high-level team from the Ministry will be in concerned regions from today and will also be discussing updates with stakeholders.
As it relates to the situation in Jamaica where the El Nino conditions have dried up that country’s supply of cassava, Persaud said that there has been no formal contact with Guyana to buffer their stock.
The Jamaica Gleaner has reported that less than two years after their Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, urged Jamaicans to make greater use of cassava, heavy demands for the tuber have sent agro processors scurrying for a duty-free licence.
According to the Gleaner, Dr Tufton’s advocacy for cassava as an alternative source of carbohydrate apparently paid off as its use has increased, creating a severe shortage in the lead-up to Christmas.
To make matters worse, cassava production has been affected by the severe drought across the island and a shortage of planting material.
Tufton confirmed that he has been approached by cassava processors who have appealed to him to allow duty-free cassava into the island for the Christmas season to fill current and expected demand.
He also confirmed that the members of the Agro Processors Association met with him and complained that their businesses were being hit hard by the severe shortage of cassava for processing, as well as the increase in cassava prices precipitated by the shortage.
Cassava is a shrubby, tropical, perennial plant that is not well known in the temperate zone.
The plant grows tall, sometimes reaching 15 feet, with leaves varying in shape and size. The edible parts are the tuberous root and leaves. The tuber (root) is somewhat dark brown in color and grows up to 2 feet long.
Around the world, cassava is a vital staple for about 500 million people. Cassava’s starchy roots produce more food energy per unit of land than any other staple crop.
Its leaves, commonly eaten as a vegetable in parts of Asia and Africa, provide vitamins and protein.
Nutritionally, the cassava is comparable to potatoes, except that it has twice the fiber content and a higher level of potassium.

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