Farmers advised to sell tapioca

Farmers have been advised to sell the tapioca after harvest as the price of raw tapioca, used both for human consumption and industrial purpose, would be in the range of Rs.11-12 per kg during November-December.
The Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has analysed the wholesale price of tapioca in the last 14 years at Salem market to provide market intelligence for the growers in plains of major growing districts.
India occupied 10th position in global tapioca production, with 7.74 million tonnes from 2.14 lakh hectares during 2013-14 and exported several forms of tapioca products like raw tapioca tuber, starch, sago and sago pith.

Tamil Nadu, with 64 per cent of production, stands first and also in processing of tapioca into starch and sago and being cultivated in major 14 districts in an area of 1.05 lakh hectare, the Centre said in a release.
The starch and sago prices played a vital role in tapioca tuber price and tapioca cultivation as well as the production of sago and starch commodities, which has been severely affected due to 'adulteration' of maize starch in it, the centre claimed.
The tapioca tubers, which were sold at Rs 1,100--1,300 per quintal during July-August 2013-14, has come down and is ruling at Rs.800-900 per quintal at present.

Similarly, the price of tapioca starch, which was Rs 4,500 per a 90 kg bag had come down, with prevailing rate of Rs.2,200. The price difference between sago and starch commodity was nearly Rs.4,000, which has considerably affected the farmers' profitability of raising the crop.
The tapioca tuber is available to the industry from July to April but the maximum amount of raw material is available only during November to February during which the starch content is at its peak.
Winter was helpful for the consolidation of starch in the tubers and maximum crushing activity was undertaken during this period and maximum arrivals of raw material starts from October, it added.