THAILAND, Feb. 1, 2024 – In Thailand, cassava (Manihot esculenta) is cultivated by more than 580,000 farming households with average farm size of 2.5 hectares. In 2021, the cassava export value in Thailand was 1.29 billion dollars, making it the first largest exporter of cassava in the world.¹

This lucrative crop provides a key source of income to these smallholder farmers who produce it across the country, driving the rural economy of Thailand. The cassava crop is essential to rural livelihoods but rapidly-spreading cassava pests and diseases are threatening the cassava industry in Thailand. In recent years, Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD) has become a major destructive plant virus, causing up to 80% root yield losses.

CMD is transmitted by the whitefly, as well as through infected stem cuttings, which are used to propagate cassava plants. Once a cassava plant is infected by CMD, the plant needs to be cut and destroyed. This impacts farmers as the only way for farmers to participate in following year's growing cycle is by using a new, clean stem. The new CMD-resistant varieties are a true game changer in this aspect, as the plant is resistant to CMD, securing the income for the farmer with stable prices and reliable root volumes for companies like Ingredion.

Until 2023, there were no CMD-resistant cassava varieties in Thailand. Now, the Thai Tapioca Development Institute (TTDI) has developed cassava varieties that are resistant to CMD and evaluated CMD-resistant varieties. The CMD-resistant varieties are ITTI 1, ITTI 2 and ITTI 3.

Besides resistance to CMD disease, the newly released cassava varieties also deliver high yield with high starch potential. Over the last four decades, the TTDI, in partnership with Kasetsart University and international research institutes (CIAT and IITA), started breeding and agronomic research in Thailand.

Ingredion Thailand becomes one of the first company to receive the CMD-resistant varieties

Ingredion Thailand coordinates with TTDI and District Agriculture Offices under Department of Agriculture and Extension (DOAE) to disseminate the CMD-resistant varieties to meet the farmers’ demands in the northeast of Thailand. Nakhon Ratchasima province in the northeastern region of Thailand is the highest cassava producing province in the country. With this new CMD-resistant variety, this region now serves as a springboard to curb the rapid spread of CMD, which was threatening the livelihoods of most cassava growers.

With this new variety, Ingredion is encouraging farmers to use CMD-resistant varieties and clean seed stems to control CMD. Ingredion supports quickly developing solutions to protect farmer’s livelihoods and cassava industries. A total of 133,400 high quality CMD-resistant seedlings were distributed to produce about 92 rai. 36 farmers in Sikhiu district received 104,400 seedings and 10 farmers in Kalasin district received 29,000 seedlings. It is anticipated that the CMD-resistant cassava varieties will be distributed to all Thai farmers in about three years from now.

A cassava farmer in the Sikhiu district shared, “We were shocked when we faced the CMD threat for the first time. The disease significantly dropped in both fresh roots and starch content. I suddenly lost half of our income. I look forward to these new varieties that are resistant to CMD, as well as improves my yield.”

“Even the most popular varieties in Thailand, such as KU50, Rayong 72, and Huaybong 80 were the seriously infected by CMD. The yields of the CMD-resistant varieties significantly higher than the cassava varieties in Thailand when infested by CMD, particularly where the disease pressure was high,” shared Khun Punyaphat Nugeaw, Root sourcing manager of Ingredion.

At the same time, Ingredion is also developing rapid multiplication systems in key locations in northeast of Thailand with the engagement of farmers and some government agricultural departments. This engagement is critical to delivering the CMD-resistant varieties to local farmers as quickly as possible.

Mr. Santi Chujai is a cassava farmer who has been growing conventional cassava for nearly 12 years. He is keen on joining the Ingredion’s initiative because he knows the new CMD-resistant varieties are making farming more productive and profitable. Now he has changed to grow CMD-resistant cassava varieties such as ITTI 1, ITTI 2, ITTI 3.