Indonesia seeks mocaf export markets as cassava prices recover
The government is pursuing exports of modified cassava flour after halting cassava imports to protect domestic growers.
Indonesia is preparing to export modified cassava flour, or mocaf, as part of efforts to widen markets for domestic growers, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said. Speaking in Jakarta on October 28, he linked the plan to higher cassava prices following an import ban.
President Prabowo Subianto ordered the halt to cassava imports to protect local farmers, Amran said. Authorities had received reports that prices at the farm gate had dropped to Rp700 per kilogram.
Amran said growers in Lampung told him during discussions on October 25 that prices had reached around Rp3,000 per kilogram. He cited the increase as evidence of the policy's effectiveness and said profitable farmers could keep producing.
The minister called for faster development of cassava processing into higher-value products, including mocaf. Such initiatives could strengthen connections among growers, processors and export markets, he said.
He identified sustainable supply chains, quality standards, production capacity and the uptake of farmers' harvests as areas requiring greater attention. Amran also expected an expansion of processing industries to raise demand for domestic cassava, improve conditions for growers, boost productivity and create jobs and business opportunities in producing regions.
