Bangkok: Four cassava associations have highlighted an urgent raw material shortage crisis in the industry, estimating the 2026/20 season production at just 18.757 million tons, significantly below the annual demand of 37-45 million tons. This shortfall has led to many factories operating at a mere 20-30% capacity. The associations are calling for the government to prioritize the cassava mosaic disease issue on a national level and aim to boost production to 35 million tons within three years.
According to Thai News Agency, a network of four Thai cassava associations, including the Thai Cassava Trade Association, the Thai Cassava Product Manufacturers Association, the Thai Cassava Starch Association, and the Northeastern Cassava Manufacturers Association, issued a statement regarding the critical raw material shortage. They described it as the most severe in the industry's history.
A survey conducted by the association's network revealed that cassava production for the 2026/20 season has plummeted to 18.757 million tons, despite domestic demand standing at 37-45 million tons annually. Consequently, many factories are operating at only 20-30% of their capacity, with cassava processing plants in numerous regions temporarily halting operations due to the raw material deficit.
The cassava associations identified several factors contributing to the reduced yield, including a lack of high-quality planting material, the spread of cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava witches' broom disease, as well as the adverse effects of climate change.
These challenges are also impacting the export sector, with the association network predicting that the value of Thai cassava product exports in 2026 will likely fall below 70 billion baht, representing a decrease of over 85 billion baht compared to 2022.
In response, the network of four associations proposed that the government urgently address four key areas: elevating the response to cassava mosaic disease to a 'national agenda' to facilitate the acquisition and distribution of disease-resistant planting material; investing in irrigation systems and technology to restore production to 35 million tons within three years; establishing a fair market mechanism and trading standards; and enforcing stricter controls on imports and exports, alongside developing a central industry database.
The associations warn that if these issues are not promptly addressed, the raw material shortage could adversely affect industries reliant on cassava, including food, bioenergy, and bioplastics, and could diminish Thailand's competitiveness in the global market.