Cassava Production Business
Cassava is Nigeria's most important root crop and a major food-security and income staple. With improved varieties, a hectare can yield 20–30 tonnes of fresh tubers. This guide covers land preparation through to processing into high-value products like garri, fufu, flour and starch.
From land cultivation to post-harvest and sales
Follow each stage in order — the full value chain for cassava production business.
Land Selection & Preparation
Cassava tolerates poor soils but yields best on well-drained sandy loams, pH 5.5–6.5. Clear and plough the land to 20–30 cm depth, then ridge or mound. Ridges make harvesting easier and improve tuber formation.
- Avoid waterlogged soils — cassava rots in standing water
- Ridging at 0.75–1 m spacing improves yield
- Incorporate organic manure where soil is poor
Stem (Cutting) Selection & Planting
Cassava is planted from mature stem cuttings, not seeds. Use disease-free stems of improved varieties like TME 419, TMS 30572, or pro-vitamin-A biofortified varieties. Cut stems into 20–25 cm setts, plant at an angle on ridges at 1×1 m spacing (10,000 plants/ha).
- Recommended: TME 419, TMS 98/0505, Farmer's Pride
- Plant at the onset of rains for best establishment
- Use healthy, mature stems from trusted multiplication plots
Weed & Fertiliser Management
Keep the field weed-free for the first 3–4 months. Apply pre-emergent herbicide after planting, then hand-weed. Apply NPK 15-15-15 at 4–8 weeks; cassava responds well to potassium. Intercrop early with maize or melon for extra income before cassava canopy closes.
- First weeding at 4 weeks, second at 12 weeks
- Fertiliser: 4–6 bags NPK per hectare
- Intercropping with maize/melon in the first 3 months adds income
Harvesting
Cassava is ready 12–18 months after planting when leaves yellow and tubers are full. Harvest by hand (cut stems, then uproot) or use a cassava lifter. Harvest only what you can process or sell within 48 hours — fresh cassava deteriorates fast (post-harvest physiological deterioration).
- Harvest 12 months for early varieties, 18 for late
- Process within 48 hours to avoid spoilage
- Leave tubers in soil as 'live storage' if market is delayed
Post-Harvest Processing
Processing is where cassava's real money is. Convert tubers into garri, fufu/akpu, lafun, high-quality cassava flour (HQCF), starch or ethanol. Peeling, grating, fermenting, pressing, frying (for garri) and drying are the core steps. Mechanised graters and screw presses cut labour sharply.
- Garri: grate, ferment 2–3 days, press, fry/sieve
- HQCF: grate, dewater, dry, mill — sells to bakers and feed mills
- Mechanised processing centres add the most value
Packaging & Marketing
Package garri in clean nylon or jute bags with brand labels for retail. Sell to local markets, supermarkets, boarding schools, and processors. HQCF has strong off-take from flour mills and bakers (composite bread). Link with cassava processing clusters or out-grower schemes for guaranteed markets.
- Branded, labelled packaging commands premium retail prices
- Off-takers: market women, schools, flour mills, bakers
- Join out-grower schemes for guaranteed off-take
Watch & learn
Curated, Nigerian-localised training clips from accredited sources and Nigerian farmers.
Growing Cassava for Optimum Profitability (Nigeria)
HQCF out-grower scheme in Ogun State, Nigeria.
Watch on YouTubeCassava Standard Procedures (Radio IITA)
IITA farmer outreach on optimum cassava yield.
Watch on YouTubeIITA Cassava Videos (Playlist)
Cassava breeding and production in Nigeria.
Watch on YouTubeOne-page cost sheet
Type your figures in the rows below. Totals update live. Print it out and fill the rest with a biro, or download a Word file to keep on your phone.
Youth in Digital Extension · FUTA · TETFund
Cassava Production Business
Crop · Nigeria is the world's largest cassava producer — turn tubers into profit.
Expected revenue
| Product | Qty | Unit price (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh tubers(tonnes) | — | ||
| Garri(bags) | — | ||
| High-quality cassava flour (HQCF)(bags) | — |
Land & preparation
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land lease / rent(ha) | — | ||
| Clearing & ploughing(per ha) | — | ||
| Ridging / mounding(per ha) | — |
Planting material
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cassava stems (TME 419 / TMS 30572)(bundles) | — | ||
| Stem transport(per trip) | — |
Inputs
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbicide(litres) | — | ||
| NPK fertiliser(bags) | — | ||
| Intercrop seed (maize / melon)(kg) | — |
Labour
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planting(person-days) | — | ||
| Weeding (2×)(person-days) | — | ||
| Fertiliser application(person-days) | — | ||
| Harvest(person-days) | — |
Processing & sales
| Item | Qty | Unit cost (₦) | Total (₦) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peeling & grating (mill hire)(per tonne) | — | ||
| Fermentation / pressing / frying(per tonne) | — | ||
| Bags / nylon & branding(pieces) | — | ||
| Transport to market(per trip) | — |
Figures are editable and stay on this device. For planning only — verify current input prices with local agro-dealers and extension officers.