According to a survey conducted jointly by the Thai Tapioca Development Institute, Thai Tapioca Trade Association, North Eastern Tapioca Trade Association, Thai Tapioca Products Factory Association, Thai Tapioca Flour Industry Trade Association, and concerned government agencies, high local prices will attract more growers to the crop. Many farmers have expanded recently into sugarcane and maize.

The high price has also encouraged farmers to take pay attention to their techniques to maximise quality. As a result, cassava root will likely produce higher yields to an estimated 3.55 tonnes per rai next year from 3.38 tonnes this year. In addition, the total plantation area will increase to 7.1 million rai next year from 6.7 million rai this year, an increase of 6.5 per cent.

Boonchai Srichaiyongpanich, chairman of the survey committee, said farmers still needed high-quality cassava breeds suitable for the local environment to ensure high yields, which along with good quality would allow them to sell more.

The government's price-intervention programme has failed to encourage farmers to expand their growing area. Rather, they have concentrated on increasing their yields.

The committee also suggested that the government should accelerate the establishment of ethanol manufacturing plants that use cassava as a raw material. This will help absorb projected production increases.

Any government-assistance measures should also not distort market mechanisms because this will cause exporters to lose competitiveness.

To increase yield, the Thai Tapioca Development Institute should support growers that use higher-quality tapioca breeds which have a high yield and high flour content, according to the panel. Technological support is also an important factor in improving quality and increasing production.

He added that exporters have been plagued by rising transportation costs due to rising oil prices and truck weight restrictions.