ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute

A long-pending demand of cassava farmers for a simple and reliable onsite method to estimate starch content in fresh tuber has been addressed by the ICAR–Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram, with the development of an electronic starch indicator.

The device enables farmers and stakeholders to determine starch content quickly and accurately through a two-step process—measuring the weight of about 3–5 kg of cassava tubers first in air and then in water. The system then directly displays the starch percentage.

The meter developed with the support of a Kochi-based company, EMCON industries, is an innovation which simplifies starch estimation while improving accuracy and transparency.

At present, the Reimann balance, a hydrostatic method widely used in cassava-growing regions such as Salem (Tamil Nadu), is commonly employed for starch estimation of fresh tubers. However, farmers have expressed concerns regarding possible misuse, which may lead to undervaluation of produce, as cassava prices in these regions are often determined based on starch content and tuber weight.

The newly developed electronic indicator is expected to enhance fair pricing, transparency, and farmer confidence and the institute plans to transfer the technology for commercial production, making the device widely accessible to farmers, traders, and processing industries.