Fresh vegetables

Provides specifications for fresh sweet cassava roots, including size, defect limits and cyanide thresholds.

Codex Standard for Sweet Cassava (CXS 238‑2003)

Defines requirements for fresh bitter cassava roots, including cyanide content (>50 mg/kg) and grading criteria.

Codex Standard for Bitter Cassava (CXS 300‑2010)

Very slight surface blemishes are allowed provided they do not affect appearance, quality, keeping quality or presentation.

Superficial defects

Roots showing rotting or any other deterioration rendering them unfit for consumption must be excluded.

Rotting or deterioration

Processors purchase fresh cassava root for extraction of starch, production of cassava flour, and as a raw material for various food products.

Food processing industry

Cassava root is used as a high‑energy feed ingredient for livestock and aquaculture due to its carbohydrate content.

Animal feed sector

Starch derived from cassava root is utilized in adhesives, paper manufacturing, and biodegradable plastics.

Industrial applications

Dry powdered starch used in food processing, industrial applications and as a thickening agent

Cassava starch

Fine flour used for baking, thickening and as a gluten‑free alternative in food products

Cassava flour

Fuel ethanol produced from fermented cassava sugars for blending with gasoline

Cassava‑based ethanol

Methane‑rich gas generated from anaerobic digestion of cassava residues

Biogas

Processed cassava root or by‑products used as a high‑energy feed ingredient for livestock

Animal feed

The distal (narrow) end of the cassava root must not exceed 2 cm in diameter.

Root cut diameter

The stalk end of the root should have a clean cut between 1 cm and 2.5 cm in length.

Stalk‑end cut length

Root must have reached an appropriate degree of physiological development for the variety and growing area.

Physiological development

Each root must weigh at least 300 g and be at least 20 cm long.

Minimum size

Sweet varieties contain less than 50 mg/kg; bitter varieties contain more than 50 mg/kg.

Contents must be uniform in shape and contain only cassava of the same origin, variety, commercial type, quality and size.

Uniformity of package

Up to 10 % by number or weight may be of the size immediately above or below the indicated size on the package.

Size tolerance within package

Cassava

CMD, caused by geminiviruses, leads to stunted growth and reduced starch content in roots, affecting marketability and price.

Cassava mosaic disease (CMD)

Infestation by the cassava mealybug can cause severe yield loss and degrade root quality, making the product unsuitable for trade.

Cassava mealybug (Phenacoccus manihoti)

Improper processing or insufficient soaking of cassava roots can leave residual cyanide, posing a health risk to consumers.

Cyanogenic glycosides (linamarin)

Cassava root is a fresh vegetable root with high starch content harvested for food and industrial uses. It is classified as a primary raw agricultural commodity and is typically stored under ambient or chilled conditions to preserve its high perishability.

Month	Exports	Imports
Dec 2023	$4.5M	$108M
Nov 2023	$10.2M	$71.7M
Oct 2023	$11.3M	$49.5M
Sep 2023	$19.7M	$43.3M
Aug 2023	$15.7M	$45.1M
Jul 2023	$7.1M	$36.8M
Jun 2023	$11.4M	$26.7M
May 2023	$23.6M	$20.4M
Apr 2023	$23.8M	$18.2M
Mar 2023	$38.6M	$67.3M
Feb 2023	$51M	$160M
Jan 2023	$14.7M	$160M

Vietnam Cassava Exports and Imports

Monthly Trade Values