An assessment of the market potential for cassava-based industrial products

Abstract

In order to make rapid assessment of existing industrial markets for starch/flour-based products in Ghana and to assess the market potential for cassava-based products replacing the existing materials, a combination of a formal survey of 27 industries in different product sectors and the review of secondary data was undertaken. The results indicated that the cassava-based products for which there is industrial potential are high quality cassava flour, cassava starch, modified cassava flour/starch, cassava-derived industriaI alcohol, and cassava chips and pellets. These products are expected to replace imported alternatives in the plywood, Pharmaceutical, textile, confectionery and livestock feed industry . Time and financial limitations did not allow the stratification of the markets with respect the bread, biscuits, snacks, paper. medical, beverage and other processed food industry. The information obtained however was enough to give an idea of what the potential market is. The theoretical market potential for fresh cassava is over 297,000 tons per annum. The estimated specific requirements for each cassava-based pr6duct is about 22.536 tons for cassava flour. 221 tons for cassava starch. 190 tons for modified cassava flour/starch. 9580 tons for cassava-derived industrial alcohol, 692 tons of cassava-derived glucose syrup and 1.782 tons for cassava chips/pellets. The information provided would be useful in targeting marketable products to develop from cassava as well the relevant markets to which these products can be targeted