Technology 'key to ImprovIng yIeld and returns'

Farmers face a shortage of high-quality cassava roots that are resistant to pest outbreaks.

The Agricultural Extension Department said eight cassava strains were popular with farmers.

The most popular strains are Rayong and Huay Bong. They need to reach a high stage of development to ensure pest resistance and to increase the percentage of starch.

Seree Denworalak, president of the Thai Tapioca Traders Association, has called for the government to provide farmers with more knowledge about quality strains and cultivation methods to ensure high returns.

Cassava should grow for 8-10 months to ensure high starch content of around 17 per cent. However, some farmers harvest the crop before it matures, leading to lower percentages of starch.

The TDDI is promoting the use of more hybrid cassava roots, as well as insect pest-control systems and the latest technology to boost production.

Adul Vinaiphat, vice president of the institute, said it had been working closely with government agencies to develop value-added tapioca products and a variety of high-yield cassava strains.

After a couple of years of research and development, the TDDI succeeded in developing a hybrid strain named Huay Bong 60, which yields 23 tonnes per rai compared with 13.75 tonnes for general strains. The starch content has improved from 13 per cent to 28 per cent.

The TTDI is promoting bio-control systems through the use of natural insect pests, particularly Anagyrus Lopezi, a type of wasp. The insect can clear mealybug infestations that can destroy crops.

The institute is trying to persuade farmers to practise integrated pest management to achieve lower chemicals and insecticide use.

It is promoting the use of Anagyrus Lopezi particularly heavily in the East and Northeast, which are the country's main cassava-growing regions.

In addition, the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) will this year encourage cassava farmers to increase yields and incomes under a project called "One Rai, One Hundred Thousand Baht".

Adisorn Puangchompoo, an adviser to the Chamber's chairman, said the Chamber would run a pilot project in Rayong province by selecting 12 farmers to grow cassava using a new method.

The farmers will select strong roots and widen the space between each root from 0.3 metres to 2 metres to allow more space for root development. Farmers will save on costs, with just 800 roots per rai instead of 4,000 roots, but they will achieve bigger roots with higher starch content.

The average yield per rai for the project is expected to increase from 3.5 kilos to more than 10 kilos per rai, said Adisorn.

To prevent infestations, farmers will be encouraged to use cassava roots that have been treated with chemicals. In addition, the plantation area should have adequate water supply, as pests dislike water.

It is expected that farmers will earn Bt30,000 to Bt100,000 through the project, though they will have to grow other crops such as pumpkins, and farm livestock.