US$100,000 cassava processing mill operations imminent

Dec 09, 2016 News

The US$50M annual importation bill for wheat flour is expected to reduce by US$10M with the presence of cassava flour on the local market. This significant achievement will be made possible with the setting up of a cassava processing mill at Parika, East Bank Essequibo.
This announcement was made yesterday by Dr. Oudho Homenauth, Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) at the opening session of a two-day workshop on cassava development. The workshop is being held at the Institute’s boardroom, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.
At the opening session were George Jervis, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture; Dr. Bernardo Ospina, CEO of Clayuca Corporation; representatives of the private sector; farmers, and staff of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Cassava development in CARICOM has been given a big boost with funding by the European Union. The Colombian Government is facilitating the implementation in Guyana, Suriname, Grenada, Barbados and Jamaica. Clayuca is the implementing agency on behalf of the Colombian Government.
According to Dr. Homenauth, the programme duration is 42 months, a period that would allow the transfer of technology, introduction of new varieties, capacity building and most importantly, the setting up of the cassava flour mill. The mill costs US$100,000 and has the capacity to process 10,000 pounds of cassava per day.
Earlier this year, NAREI conducted an exercise to determine whether cassava flour would be an effective ingredient in the bread-baking process. The outcome has local bakeries interested in using cassava flour as part of their operations. A study conducted revealed that 20 percent of cassava flour could be added to the flour mix for bread baking.
Dr. Homenauth was clear that neither the agency nor the Ministry is imposing the use of cassava flour but is promoting it as an economical alternative. He emphasized that the US$10M saved from the importation bill would go to local cassava farmers.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jervis while expressing thanks to the European Union for funding this initiative, pledged the Ministry’s support for this venture since cassava is an important component of the Ministry’s long term plan.

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