Cassava flour production by small scale processors, its quality and economic feasibility

Cassava flour is promising to be used as a food ingredient substitute for wheat and rice flour-based food products. It can be also processed at a rural household level to ensure the income of farmers. This study was aimed at identifying the physical and chemical characteristics of cassava roots and the flour produced as well as the economic feasibility of its production at a small scale. The results showed that cassava flour prepared from Sembung, an Indonesian local variety had fairly good quality parameters according to the national quality standards for moisture, starch, and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) contents, while the physical characteristics were sub-optimal. The yield recovery of cassava flour processing was 20.16% or equivalent to 9.67 ton per year assuming the annual production capacity was 48.00 tons of fresh cassava. A home-scale industry of cassava flour can give a net profit of IDR 49,565,888 or about 3,440 USD per year with the revenue cost ratio of 1.52, net profit margin of 34.15%, return of investment of 51.81% and payback period of 1.02 year. Adjusting the harvest time with crop maturity as well as following proper processing methods would improve the flour yield recovery, quality and economic returns. Practical Application: This paper highlights the quality and economic feasibility of small-scale cassava flour production.