The Western Land Sea New Channel Helps Southeast Asian Cassava Flour Sell Hot in China

Chongqing, October 8th (Xinhua) -- With the support of the food and chemical industries, cassava flour has undergone a transformation and become a well-known product among the public, including taro balls, crystal packs, vermicelli, cardboard boxes, fireworks and firecrackers.

It is reported that cassava is a plant of the Euphorbiaceae family, native to Brazil and one of the three major potato species in the world. It is planted in many Southeast Asian countries. The starch made from cassava is cassava flour. In recent years, thanks to the opening of the China Laos railway and the continuous promotion of the construction of the new land sea channel in the west, cassava flour produced in Southeast Asia is sold well in China.

Cassava powder is one of the main goods for our return train. Recently, Song Lina, Deputy General Manager of Chongqing Jiangjin Comprehensive Bonded Zone Commercial Operation Management Co., Ltd., told China News Service reporters that cassava powder can be made into sour and spicy powder, "pearls" for pearl milk tea, feed, etc., and is in high demand in the Sichuan Chongqing region.

"Cassava flour has the characteristics of high cost performance and diversified functions, and is loved by many industries." Yan Kun, executive director and general manager of Chongqing Yishenghong Import and Export Trade Co., Ltd. said that cassava flour can be divided into food grade and industrial grade. Food grade cassava flour can be used in the production of vermicelli, sausage, rice dumpling, etc., while industrial grade cassava flour is used in medical, chemical and other fields.

It is understood that cassava has the characteristics of being rough and easy to grow, easy to cultivate, high-yield, and harvestable all year round. It is planted in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and other places in China. However, due to the wide application and large consumer market of cassava flour, many Chinese companies have imported a large amount of cassava flour from Southeast Asia and other places. Yan Kun said that to his knowledge, China has been importing cassava flour from Southeast Asia for more than 10 years.

Previously, cassava flour entered China mainly through two methods: sea transportation and road transportation. Sea transportation took a long time, road transportation costs were high, and it could not be transported in large quantities. Yan Kun said that the construction of the Western Land Sea New Corridor has provided more and better options for the transportation of cassava flour. Cross border railway trains or rail sea intermodal trains have comprehensive advantages in transportation costs and timeliness.

Industry insiders say that currently, China's imported cassava flour mainly comes from Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. Among them, cassava flour from Thailand and Vietnam is mainly transported by sea to Qingdao Port and Tianjin Port, and then sold to North and Central China regions; Laotian cassava starch is mainly transported to Chongqing, Chengdu, and Hunan through cross-border railway trains.

According to the statistics of Luhai New Channel Operation Co., Ltd., since the opening of the China Laos Railway, as of June 2024, Chongqing has transported 7179 TEUs of cassava starch through the western Luhai New Channel. Among them, 2211 TEUs were transported in the first half of 2024 alone.

The popularity of cassava flour in various industries is increasing, "Yan Kun said. With the expansion of usage functions and the increase of consumption scenarios, the development prospects of cassava flour related industries are gradually being optimistic.

In Southeast Asian countries such as Laos, the cultivation and processing industry of cassava is continuously developing, connecting more business formats.

The Western Land Sea New Corridor will rely on Chongqing's waterless port to provide comprehensive supply chain management services for cassava flour imports, integrating trade, logistics, warehousing, and finance, and strive to build a cassava flour trading center and distribution center.