Changes in the world market for cassava and derivatives and opportunities for Brazil

In Africa, the advance in this period was 3.3% p.a., due to the increase in the planted area, especially in Nigeria. In Asia, more specifically in Thailand and Vietnam, production grew 2.3% per year, due to higher productivity. Brazilian production, in turn, fell 0.4% a year over this period, according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as a result of greater agricultural diversification compared to African and Asian countries . Also according to the FAO, in part of the countries of Africa and Asia, cassava, which was previously considered a subsistence crop, now has a fundamental role in rural development, poverty reduction, food and energy security (biofuels ). Thus, massive public, private and third sector investments now drive cassava on these continents, including on an industrial scale. Currently, Thailand and Vietnam stand out as the main producers of cassava and derivatives (starch, chips and pallets). These countries are also ...