Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a perennial woody shrub that has an edible root that was first cultivated in South America and introduced to Nigeria in the sixteenth century. Cassava is considered a source of food for the poor and has been widely criticized for its propensity to deplete soil nutrients and opens the farmland to erosion.

Cassava is a staple crop in Nigeria, with a long history of cultivation and consumption. It is a starchy tuberous root that is rich in carbohydrates and is a good source of energy. Cassava is grown in almost all the states of Nigeria and is one of the major sources of food and income for small-scale farmers. 

Cassava was introduced to Nigeria by Portuguese traders in the 16th century. It quickly became a popular crop, and by the 19th century, it was a major source of food in the country. Today, Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world, with an annual production of over fifty-three million (53,000,000) metric tons.

Cassava is a hardy crop that is resistant to drought and pests, making it ideal for cultivation in Nigeria's diverse agro-ecological zones. It is also relatively easy to propagate, as it can be grown from stem cuttings. Major cassava producing states in Nigeria are Benue, Kogi, Cross River, Ondo, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states.

Cassava has a wide range of uses in different industries. As one of the world's leading producers of cassava, Nigeria has a huge potential market for the supply of cassava tubers to local industries. If you are interested in starting a cassava supply business, there are several steps you can take to get started.

Conduct Market Research

Before you start supplying cassava tubers to local industries, you need to conduct market research to understand the demand for cassava in the various industries.

You should research the industries that use cassava, such as food processing, pharmaceuticals, and animal feed production, to determine the level of demand, the current suppliers, and the prices of cassava tubers.

Identify Your Target Customers

Once you have conducted your market research, you should identify your target customers. These could be local food processing companies, pharmaceutical companies, or animal feed manufacturers. You should find out what their specific requirements are, such as the quality of cassava they need, the quantity they require, and their preferred delivery times.

Sort and Grade the Cassava Tubers

After harvesting, you need to sort and grade the cassava tubers. This involves separating the good quality tubers from the bad ones, and grading them according to their size and quality.

You can use a sorting machine or do this manually. Sorting and grading is important as it helps you to sell the best quality cassava tubers at a higher price.

Transport the Cassava Tubers to Your Customers

Once you have sorted and graded the cassava tubers, you need to transport them to your customers. You can use trucks or other transportation methods depending on the quantity of cassava you need to transport.

You should ensure that the cassava tubers are properly packaged and protected during transportation to avoid damage.

Build Relationships with Your Customers

To build a successful cassava supply business, you need to build strong relationships with your customers. You should communicate regularly with them to understand their needs and requirements and to address any issues they may have. You should also be flexible and willing to adapt to changes in demand and supply.

Ensure Quality Control

Quality control is essential in the cassava supply business. You should ensure that the cassava tubers you supply meet the quality standards of your customers. This includes checking for pests and diseases, ensuring that the tubers are properly sorted and graded, and that they are delivered on time.

Stay Up-to-date with Industry Trends

Finally, it is important to stay up-to-date with industry trends and developments. You should keep abreast of changes in demand, supply, and prices of cassava tubers, as well as any new technologies.

Cassava, which is rich in starch in the form of carbohydrate, has multiple uses. It is consumed in many processed forms, in the industry and also as livestock feed. Roots or leaves are made into flours. Flours are of three types, yellow garri, white garri, or intermediate colour, with yellow garri considered the best product in Nigeria. 

Its other products are as dry extraction of starch, glue or adhesives, modified starch in pharmaceutical as dextrins, as processing inputs, as industrial starch for drilling, and processed foods.

Cassava tubers is an important industrial raw material and there is large, growing and sustainable market for the product. Supplying cassava tubers to local industries in Nigeria is a very lucrative business that would generate a lot of revenue for the investors.