Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
59
The quality grade is based on starch content and determines the amount that will be paid for
cassava roots that will be sold for processing. The price is N40-50/kg of starch. Percentage of
starch present in the roots varies from 10-25% with a price range from N6,000-12,000 per
tonne. This is highly subject to change and is not stable. For high quality flour production, the
offered prices at the time of this assessment were:
 Highest: N15,000/tonne (30% starch content)
 Middle: N11,000/tonne (22% starch content)
 Lowest: N7,500/tonne (15% starch content)
Other quality factors that affect the price include roots size, diseases, and cleanliness including
trimming Very small roots are generally left on the farm. The quality defects will be documented
at the processing facilities upon arrival, and the prices paid to the grower likely will be reduced
by 15 to 20%.
When cassava roots are harvested to be eaten on the farm or processed into gari or fufu, the
quality is considered less important (since the small sized and broken roots are still eaten). The
price offered for these roots at each quality grade at the time of the assessment are:
 Highest: None; did Not Occur.
 Middle: N500/90-100kg.
 Lowest: N300/90-100kg.
Price per kilogram will also differ by season and time of year. For example, a 900100kg basket
is valued at N400 during times when there is excess harvesting, but valued at N800 during times
of scarcity. At the time of this report, 200 Naira is equivalent to US$1. Therefore, the equivalent
in US$ is a range of $20-40 per tonne.
With a conservative estimate of on-farm losses on the order of 2-5% physical losses in Nigeria
and a total production of 45 million tonnes, these losses equal 900,000 to 2,250,000 tonnes of
cassava roots per year. At a market value of $20-40 per tonne, economic losses to farmers range
from $18 to $90 million per year.
Table 3.7: Summary of the Volume and Market Value of On-Farm Losses of Cassava in Nigeria
Total Volume
Produced per
Annum
Conservative
Estimates of On-
Farm Losses
Losses in Volume Market Value
per Tonne
Losses in
Value
45 million Tonnes
($900 million to 1.8
billion)
2% 900,000 $20 $18 million
2% 900,000 $40 $36 million
5% 2,250,000 $20 $45 million
5% 2,250,000 $40 $90 million
Source: Based on Above Estimates.