cassava

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a perennial woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae family. It is grown principally for its tuberous roots but its leaves are also eaten in some parts of Africa and are used as animal feed in parts of Asia. The roots are 25?35 percent starch and the leaves contain significant amounts of protein and other nutrients. Cassava is a hardy crop, tolerant to extreme ecological conditions and even thrives on impoverished soils.Our Cassava BusinessOur involvement with cassava production, processing and export began when our firm was recommended for the supply requirements of a bouillon cube factory in Guinea. By exploiting the competitive advantages arising out of our origination activities with other crops, Agro was able to negotiate sourcing agreements with local farmers that boosted their incomes while providing attractive margins. Two years on and several contracts later, we have acquired 1,700 acres near the Nimba and Grand Bassa borders for conversion to commercial cassava production.Using improved planting materials and husbandry practices from the IITA, Agro shall significantly increase farm yields and add value through domestic processing and packaging. We are also multiplying sufficient quantities of the selected improved high-yielding and disease-resistant cultivars for distribution to farmers around our milling site. Once production begins, we expect to maintain volumes establishing Agro, Inc. as the largest producer and exporter of cassava products from Liberia.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a perennial woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae family.