Minister Rachmat: Cassava Development in Indonesia Holds Great Prospects

National Development Planning Minister/Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Rachmat Pambudy stated that the development of cassava in Indonesia holds great prospects. “The development of cassava has great prospects because cassava is one of Indonesia’s strategic food commodities,” he said during the inauguration of the National Cassava Center at the University of Lampung, according to an official statement on Wednesday. He is optimistic that Indonesia has great potential to become a major player in the development of cassava commodities. With a productivity target of 60 tonnes per hectare, cassava is expected to become a strategic raw material capable of strengthening national competitiveness while encouraging economic growth based on local resources. “This is our time to make our cassava farmers prosperous,” said the Bappenas Head. On the same occasion, Lampung Governor Rahmat Mirzani Djausal highlighted the province’s significant contribution to national cassava production. He stated that more than 70 percent of national cassava production originates from Lampung. Eight out of 15 districts in the province are cassava production centres, supported by the growing tapioca industry.