Tapioca flour is in high demand as import substitution
May 19, 2024
Tapioca flour is in high demand in the domestic market as it is widely used as an import substitution for wheat flour, according to Mon State’s Consumer Affairs Department under the Ministry of Commerce.
The tapioca is commonly cultivated in villages of Mon State due to low input cost. Living fences with cassava can be found in some villages.
The tapioca can be utilized as starch, tapioca pearl, thickener and tapioca chip animal feed.
The Konjac processing factories keep running their operations with tapioca starch production despite the end of the Konjac season in late January.
Myanmar has exported tapioca starch to Thailand in recent years. Efforts are being made to explore more markets and penetrate the Chinese market. Myanmar invites foreign investors to invest in value-added tapioca products for market expansion.
Myanmar’s geographical location is suitable for growing cassava. At present, it is primarily grown in Kyonpyaw, Yekyi, Ngathainggyoung, Kyaunggon and Thaboung townships in Ayeyawady Region.
The cassava cultivation and commercial starch production are processed in Kachin, Shan, Mon, Rakhine, and Kayah states, as well as Yangon, Bago and Magway regions. It is a commercially valued crop with high potential for the future.
China and India account for 90 per cent of global demand for tapioca starch. Myanmar is strategically located by sharing borders with those countries.
Therefore, it is a lucrative crop that generates foreign earnings.
Despite commercial production in Myanmar, market promotion for tapioca use is still required. — NN/EM
