ABSTRACT
This
research work was carries out to examine the profitability analysis of cassava
fufu (flour) production in Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State,
Nigeria. Structural questionnaire and interview was used for data collection. A
sample of three hundred cassava fufu consumers was randomly selected from four
randomly sampled community of Ishiagu. Cross sectional data from both primary
and secondary sources were used. Data was analysed to give the descriptive
statistical accounts of the research participants and profitability analysis of
odourless cassava fufu (flour) production was determined through a cost benefit
analysis. The result revealed gross margin of N4,8363 (naira) for cassava
odourless fufu (flour) production in the study area and cost benefit ratio at
4:8:10.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Cassava is a very cheap source of carbohydrate and
is the main carbohydrate source in the diet of the teeming population of the
third world countries where it is largely grown. Banjoko et al, (2008) posited that cassava is a supplementary staple food
of more than 200 million Africans aside from its uses as livestock feed
particularly for monogastrics. Cassava is the most widely distributed major
food crop with a high content of cyanogenic glycosides. It is also known as
Manioc (manihot esculentz), yuca tapioca, or guacamate. Other foods such as sweet potatoes, yams,
maize, millet, bamboo sugarcane, peas and beans, as well as kernel of almond,
lemon, lime, apple, pear, cheery, apricot, prune and plum (Fiksel et al, 2001) contains cyanide.
Cassava (Manihot
esculeuta crantz) is the staple food of more than 500 million people (Cock
1982) and is a typical crop in developing countries. Cassava roots glycosides
especially unamarin (Butler, 1965).
Physiological deterioration occurs in cassava roots from 2.5 days after
harvesting followed by microbial deterioration 3-5 days later (Richard and
Coursey, 1981).
Cassava farming population have empirically
developed several processing methods for stabilizing cassava and reducing its
toxicity (Lancaster et al 1982).
Cassava as an important root crop in the tropics,
widely grown throughout the tropical Africa, Asia, and South America contains
1mg/g of cyanide while cereals and grains contain cyanide of 0.001 to 0.45μg/g,
0.07 to 0.3μ/g for Soya proteins, 0.1to 3mg/g for lima bean (Honig et al, 2003).
Fermentation,
which is part of almost all these processes, is widely used to transform and
preserve it because of its low technology and energy requirements and the
unique organoleptic qualities of the final product (Daeschel et al., 2007).
Fermentation of cassava entails steeping roots in water for 3 to 4 days. During
the consequent fermentation, roots are softened. Disintegration of the tissue
structure results in contact of linamarin with linamarase which is located in
the cell walls (Mkpong et al., 2000) and subsequent hydrolysis to glucose and
cyanohydrins, which easily break down to ketone and HCN (Cooke, 2008). Fufu,
one of the major foods of cassava fermentation, is reconstituted by stirring in
boiling water to form a dough and eaten with flavoured sauces. One potential
problem in processed fufu is the flavour of the product, which may be
undesirable to many people. The fermentation process is initiated as a result
of chance inoculation by microorganisms from the environment. Although,
convenient there are concerns about its reliability the control of which is the
basis of all technological measures that are used to obtain product at a defined
quality. The presence of unspecified microorganisms complicates the control of
the fermentation process and lead to the production of objectionable odours.
Such problems have led to the development of several other processing
techniques suitable for odourless fufu (Okpokiri et al., 2004; Ezeronye, 2003). Okolie et al. (2002) proposed a
modification of the microbiological process in order to upgrade the cassava
product but in practice is yet to receive great attention. This work is aimed
at studying the profitability analysis of cassava fufu (flour) production.
1.2 Statement of
the Problem
Fufu, one of the major foods of cassava
fermentation, is reconstituted by stirring in boiling water to form a dough and
eaten with flavoured sauces. One potential problem in processed fufu is the
flavour of the product, which may be undesirable to many people. The
fermentation process is initiated as a result of chance inoculation by
microorganisms from the environment. Although, convenient there are concerns
about its reliability the control of which is the basis of all technological
measures that are used to obtain product at a defined quality. The presence of
unspecified microorganisms complicates the control of the fermentation process
and lead to the production of objectionable odours. Such problems have led to
the development of several other processing techniques suitable for odourless
fufu (Okpokiri et al., 2004; Ezeronye, 2003).
Dominant microflora is a mixed population of lactic
acid, bacteria, bacillus spp and yeast which to a large extend is not very
healthy to the body system and mircoflora is very diverse and with higher
counts in the traditional process after 24 hours. The enterobacteriacecae counts increase during the first 48 hours of
traditional fermentation process but falls below detectable levels after 72
hoours while in modified process it increases after 24 hours.
The PH decreases from 6.8 to 4.3 during traditional
fermentation process and from 6.6 to 4.2 in the modified fermentation process.
The titrate acidity raises from 0.36 to 4.0% (w/w lactic acid) in the
traditional process while in the modified process it only increases from 0.24%
to 1.0%.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The
objectives to this study is to determine the profitability analysis of
production of cassava fufu.
Specific
objectives include:
i.
To examine the socio
economic characteristics of respondents
ii.
To identify the various
steps involved in cassava processing
iii.
To determine the
profitability of cassava processing in the study area.
iv.
To identify problems
associated with cassava processing in the area.
1.4 Scope and
Limitation of the Study
The
limitation of the study was a result of the following.
i.
Time
factor: time is a major factor that determined
the extent the researcher will go in his/her research work. The time allocated
to me as the researcher was not enough. This did not allow me to visit other
processing industries. The researcher was faced with problems of combining the
research work with problems of combining the research work with lectures and
other school activities which was limited to the school processing unit.
ii.
Financial
constraints: Funds available to me as a student
was limited especially when it was to be used for this and other academic
requirement. Again, with the hard condition of the country as the world are
experiencing economic crisis / melt down, the researcher spent a lot of money
during the study
iii.
Poor
research culture: There are difficulties
in distribution and retrieval of questionnaire due to the attitude of some
workers of the processing unit of the school, who were afraid of releasing
official information when they thought I was sent by the government.
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