2011

1. PENDAHULUAN
Tapioka adalah tepung pati ubi kayu (singkong,ketela atau cassava). Produk ini digunakan untuk pengolahan makanan, pakan, kosmetika, industri kimia dan pengolahan kayu. Ubi kayu dapat diolah menjadi tapioka dengan cara sederhana menggunakan alat-alat yang biasa terdapat di dapur rumah tangga. Untuk industri kecil, pengolahan sudah memerlukan alat-alat mekanis untuk mempertinggi efisiensi hasil dan biaya. Alat-alat tersebut dapat dibuat di bengkel konstruksi biasa dengan menggunakan bahan-bahan lokal. Untuk industri menengah dan besar, pengolahan memerlukan alat-alat moderen yang bekerja secara efisien dengan kapasitas besar. (more…)

Isu lingkungan kini semakin ramai diperbincangkan masyarakat dunia. Jika dulunya kepedulian terhadap lingkungan dianggap sebagai kegiatan yang membuang-buang biaya, kini maraknya global warming membuat ecopreneur atau green industri dijadikan sebagai salah satu peluang bisnis yang memiliki nilai jual cukup menarik di mata para konsumen. Sekarang ini setiap orang mulai peduli terhadap pemanasan global dan menghindari produk-produk yang tidak ramah lingkungan. Sehingga wajar adanya bila saat ini produk yang ramah lingkungan memiliki daya saing yang cukup tinggi dan diminati pasar lokal maupun internasional.

Salah satu terobosan baru yang berhasil diciptakan anak bangsa yaitu kantong plastik tapioka ramah lingkungan. Melihat ancaman sampah kantong plastik yang semakin membahayakan lingkungan, PT. Tirta Marta mengangkat permasalahan tersebut sebagai peluang usaha baru yang diyakininya memiliki prospek bisnis sangat besar. Setelah berhasil menciptakan produk oxium (sejenis aditif yang bisa mengurai sampah plastik dalam kurun waktu 2 tahun),  kini PT. Tirta Marta kembali meluncurkan produk baru yang tidak kalah inovatif, yaitu ecoplas (kantong plastik dari tepung tapioka). Tapioka menghasilkan ampas yang juga bisa dimanfaatkan yang disebut onggok. (more…)

Orang mungkin sudah banyak mengenal nata de coco sebagai penganan hasil fermentasi air kelapa. Tapi, belum banyak yang mengenal nata de cassava. Kudapan baru hasil olahan limbah pembuatan tepung tapioka ini kini makin banyak diminati. Peluang usahanya pun kini terbuka. Limbah tapioka padat disebut onggok juga sudah lebih dahulu bisa dimanfaatkan.

Pernahkah Anda mencicipi nata de cassava? Jangan-jangan baru kali ini nama ini hadir di telinga Anda. Ya, dari namanya jelas bisa ditebak kalau penganan ini berbahan dasar singkong.

Bentuk dan tekstur nata de cassava mirip nata de coco.  Putih dan kenyal. Hanya saja ada perbedaannya. Selain rasa nata de cassava yang berasa singkong, penganan ini dibuat dari hasil fermentasi air perasan sisa produksi tepung tapioka dengan mikroba acetobacter xylinum. Sementara nata de coco dibuat dari fermentasi air kelapa. (more…)

Starch is abundant. All major agricultural crops contain starch. Colder climates favour potato growing, the tropics cassava, while grain varieties are grown all over the world. With sun and water as the main limitations, fifteen tons of starch dry mater can be achieved per hectare. Modern techniques enable starch to Read more…

Ethanol has powered automobiles for more than a century. Ford designed his model T for ethanol as a fuel. Gradually petroleum took over and became the dominating transport fuel. In the seventies Brazil adopted an ethanol strategy and today motor fuel grade ethanol (MFGE) is an extremely fast growing market worldwide.

Bioethanol is renewable, because it is made from glucose created in green plants by the sun, the so called photosynthesis:

(1) 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunshine ? C6H12O6 + 6O2
Sun energy transforms carbon dioxide (CO2) into glucose (C6H12O6). This glucose is transformed once again to ethanol (C2H6O) by classic yeast fermentation:
(2) C6H12O6 ? 2C2H6O + 2CO2 + heat
Heat is released calling for cooling of the fermentation vessels and heat is released again when the ethanol is burned in the combustion engine:
(3) C2H6O + 3O2 ? 2CO2 + 3H2O + heat (more…)

Thailand has teamed up with neighbouring countries to develop ethanol from fresh cassava, aiming to turn the kingdom into a regional technology and production centre for cassava-based renewable fuel.

Under a programme called South-South Technology Transfer: Ethanol Production from Cassava, which is funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GIF), Thailand will be a focal point in forging cooperation with Vietnam, Laos, and Burma.

The four-year project, which will be launched next year, includes two pilot ethanol plants to be built in Thailand and Vietnam. The facilities could be developed for commercial-scale production in the next phase through a partnership with interested investors and banks. (more…)

The Thai tapioca industry will focus on flour exports and Asian markets as part of its growth strategy over the next five years, when the exports of tapioca products could reach 100 billion baht.

The Commerce Ministry projected that by 2016, domestic demand for cassava roots in ethanol production will surge to 13 million tonnes, while exports could top 22.5 million tonnes, totalling 35.5 million tonnes, up 42% from the current production levels.

Speaking at the World Tapioca Conference 2011, Yanyong Phuangrach, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said Thailand should focus more on exporting tapioca flour to substitute for a reduction in the export of tapioca chips and pellets.

The proportion of flour exports is expected to rise to 65% from 51% now, with chips and pellets making up the rest.

Mr Yanyong said the country should build a good image and accept the standards of its tapioca flour and other products to create confidence among importers, buyers and local consumers. (more…)

Cassava prices continued to move up into the second half of 2011 although the movement is slower than last year. Data from the Ministry of Commerce noted in the consumer price of cassava has risen 1.13% in the first half of 2011, the average price in January Rp 2988 per kilogram (kg) to Rp 3022 per kg in June 2011.

Rhomy Irawan, Second Secretary Cassava Farmers Association of Indonesia (Aspesindo) said the current high price increases that occurred in cassava farmers. From an average price of fresh cassava maximum of Rp 600 to Rp 650 per kg to Rp 900 to Rp 1100 per kg, this price varies depending on the type of cassava and cassava garden access.

“The price of land has increased beyond our expectations, this might be because there is a rise in demand. But we still observe whether the increase is only temporary because there are speculators or will be stable,” said Rhomy via telephone on Tuesday (5 / 7).

Cassava Indonesia Society Head I Suhayo Husen said the price increase is driven by high demand from both domestic industry and overseas. Husen said Indofood demand for semi-finished cassava processed into chips alone reached 200,000 tons to 300,000 tons per year, whereas to produce 1 kg of chips it takes about 3.5 kg of fresh cassava. (more…)

TEACHERS and students of Bulileka Sanatan Primary School in Labasa got a shock when a seven-month-old cassava plant bore a 20 kilogram crop. Students from the school uprooted the plant on Thursday. Headteacher Narsamma Naidu said they were thrilled to see such a gigantic crop in their yard. “This is Read more…

Tanzanian farmers ought to stick to rising drought resistant crops in the event that they wish to enhance their harvests in view of world climate modifications that always lead to insufficient rainfall.The recommendation was given yesterday by the minister for Agriculture, Food Safety and Cooperatives, Professor Jumanne Maghembe, in Dar es Salaam to mark the Cassava Week.

Officiating on the launch of the exhibition held at Karimjee grounds, the minister mentioned cultivating drought resistant crops, comparable to cassava, would enable Tanzania overcome the perennial meals shortages.

“With the current world weather changes, which extra typically result in inadequate rainfall, cassava stands out as the suitable crop in most parts of the country. Improving production and productivity of the crop will, subsequently, guarantee meals security and earnings to native and international farmers and the nation,” said Prof Maghembe. (more…)