Cassava Production Business Guide (Kamoteng Kahoy, Balinghoy) – Cassava is a perennial shrub, which sometimes reaches the size of a small tree. It stems vary in color from pale to dirty white to brown marked by numerous nodes formed by scars left by fallen leaves. Pale to dark-green leaves are fan-shaped, with 5 to 9 lobes.
Roots of cassava plants are few and shallow and some become storage roots. These are clustered around the base of the plant and extend about 60 cm on all sides. It is for these roots, which contain from 15%-40% starch, that the crop is cultivated.
Under favorable conditions, a single root may weigh as much as 4 kls. The number of roots per plant at harvest varies from 2 to 7 each averaging 27.7 cm.-43.3 cm. long and 4.5 cm.-7.4 cm. in diameter.
VARIETIES and USES OF CASSAVA
Plant only high yielding varieties and according to needs. For starch, VC-1, VC-2, VC-3, Datu, Lakan, or Golden Yellow can be used. For food or feeds, use only Lakan or Golden Yellow varieties.
SITE SELECTION
Cassava is a tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in regions with more or less evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year. An ambient temperature ranges from 25-30 degrees centigrade.
Select an open field with sandy loam or clay loam soil. Be sure that the area is not prone to water-logging. It must be well-drained soil. Also, consider the soil fertility with pH range of 5.5-6.5.
Cassava thrives at 845 m. above sea level. It grows best when planted at the start of the rainy season.
LAND PREPARATION
Prepare field by plowing two to three times, followed by harrowing when there is enough soil moisture. Make ridges 15-20 cm high and with 75-100 cm. distance between furrows.
PREPARATION OF PLANTING MATERIALS
Select only fresh, mature, or healthy stems: fresh if the latex or sap comes out within six seconds after cutting; mature if the diameter of the pith or cork is not more than half of the diameter of the cortex; healthy if it is pest free and the diameter of the stem is not less than 1.5 cm.
Obtain stalks from a healthy stand, which is at least eight months old. Classify other varieties that are mixed with the recommended varieties. Use a saw or sharp bolo to separate cuttings 20-30 cm. long.
Keep the stalks for not more than five days, under shade in upright position. Handle carefully. Do not throw the cuttings to avoid damage to the nodes. Do not use cuttings stored for more than five days.
PLANTING
Plant cuttings in furrows one meter apart, each cutting set at 0.75-1 m. apart between ridges and 0.50-0.75 m. between hills. Replant missing hills two weeks after planting. Weed the cassava plant within two months after planting. Plant in a slanting position at an angle of 45o when the soil is fairly dry, and in vertical position when planting is done during the wet season. At least 15 cm. of the cutting should be buried or covered with soil.
FERTILIZER APPLICATION
Analyze the soil prior to planting to determine the amount and kind of fertilizer needed. The general recommendation for soils which have not been analyzed is eight sacks of complete (14-14-14) fertilizer per hectare. Apply fertilizer 2-6 weeks after planting at 5-10 cm. depth and 15-20 cm. away from the plant. The use of compost or organic fertilizer is highly recommended.
WEEDING AND CULTIVATION
At least 80% of failed croppings of cassava is due to inadequate weeding. Cultivate when weeds begin to grow. Weed the cassava plant within two months after planting. If possible, do off-barring and spot weeding 3-4 weeks after planting to effectively control weeds.
Weed the plant 4-5 weeks after planting. Hill up ridges 7-8 weeks after planting followed by spot weeding.
PEST CONTROL
There is no serious pest that attacks the cassava plant. The use of chemicals is not practical, or economical. To avoid the attack of pests, apply crop rotation or burn all the infested or infected plants.
HARVESTING
Cassava is a highly perishable crop. It starts to deteriorate as early as 1-3 days after harvest. Harvest cassava at the right time and in the proper way. To prolong its shelf-life, store it properly.
Harvest cassava at full maturity or 6-7 months after planting. Harvesting too early results to low yield and poor eating quality. On the other hand, leaving the roots too long in the soil exposes them to pests. It also ties the land unnecessarily to one crop. Do not harvest cassava right after a heavy rain or when the soil is too wet. At this time, the roots have high water content, which makes them difficult to store. Also, wet soil particles would stick easily to the roots, specially if the soil is clayey, thus, making the roots hard to clean.
Harvest cassava during relatively dry weather so that soil particles from the roots can easily be removed.
Source: Philippine Root Crops
Information Service, VISCA, Baybay, Leyte
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Business Name Registration
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Provincial Office where the business is located
Website: www.bnrs.dti.gov.ph
Validity: 5 years
Mayor’s Permit
Resident Certificate and Sanitary Permit from the local municipality where the business is located
Validity: 1 year
Tax Identification Number (TIN)
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) National Office,
Agham Road, Diliman, Quezon City
Trunkline: (632) 981.7000 / 981.8888
Email: contact_us@cctr.bir.gov.ph
Website: www.bir.gov.ph
FINANCING
Quedan Corporation
34 Panay Avenue, Quezon City
Tel. Nos.: (632) 373.9704 /05/11; 410.7847/41
People’s Credit Finance Corporation
395 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City
Tel. Nos.: (632) 897.8549 / 897.5822
Fax No.: (632) 897.8523 / 897.8528
Email: info@pcfc.ph
Website: www.pcfc.gov.ph
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Department of Agriculture (DA)
Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City
Tel. Nos.: (632) 928.8741 to 65
Fax No.: (632) 926.6434
Website: www.da.gov.ph
Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural
Resources Research and Development (PCCARD)
Los Baños, Laguna
Tel. Nos.: (632) 536.0014 to 15; 536.0017 to 20
Fax No.: (632) 536.0016
Website: www.pcard.dost.gov.ph
Quedan Corporation
34 Panay Avenue, Quezon City
Tel. Nos.: (632) 373.9704/05/11;410.7847/41