In Nicaragua, fresh produce exporter Xagro and its multi-faceted business partner Jam are to begin testing the commercial production of cassava chips to be used for the production of ethanol in China.

Testing will include assessing a number of different cassava varieties for high starch content, which is needed in the ethanol process, in addition to the production of several thousand tonnes of cassava chips that will be sent to China later this year for approval.

This is the first project of this scale to be carried out in Nicaragua.

If the tests prove successful Xargo will be awarded contracts that will create hundreds of direct jobs and benefit thousands of farmers in the Region Atlántico Sur of Nicaragua.