Sustainable Development of Cassava Value Chain through the Promotion of Locally Sourced Chips

Abstract

The benefits of using homegrown inputs in the production of processed agricultural products have been recognized, for example, in protecting the environment and generating local income. In Thailand, local fresh cassava can replace imported potatoes in the production of chips. However, chips made from local cassava are not widely available on the market. This market access difficulty could be because of insufficient information about consumers’ preferences. This study thus aims to address the factors determining people’s consumption decisions on locally sourced snacks in the case of chips made from Thai cassava. These factors include, for example, price, gender, generation, education, occupation, purchasing frequency, product attributes, nutrition, food safety, and an understanding of cassava chips. The questionnaire used was developed to elicit data related to these factors. The statistical analysis is undertaken by the probit model and marginal effect. The results of three estimated models with 19 independent variables show that the effects of generation and occupation significantly indicate the probability of preferring cassava chips. Having a higher level of education and coming from the northeastern part of the country seem to determine consumers’ preference for local cassava content. Moreover, a better understanding of the related issues implies a higher chance of favoring chips from the local cassava. Those findings would provide useful information for entrepreneurs and government agencies in promoting locally sourced chips, and further develop the higher value of the cassava supply chain.