The cassava Growers Association in River State has strongly cautioned consumers to beware of ‘Ugep’ Garri which is largely consumed in the Southern part of Nigeria.
Chairman of the association Augustine Oqua, made known this disclosure stressing that the lives of residents may be in danger over the sharp practices by producers of Garri.
In an interview, Oqua explained that those who process the cassava in Ugep, a town in Yakurr LGA of the state, are always in haste to make money and do not allow the plant to properly ferment when immersed in water.
“I want to caution residents of the state and Nigerians generally to beware of the Ugep garri.
“Ugep garri contains a heavy dose of cyanide, which is not very good for the body system.
“The processors don’t allow it to ferment enough before they fry it into garri. They hurry and peel the cassava today, grind it today and fry it today. It can kill.”
Oqua further advice processors to allow the cassava to ferment for three days before it is fried and pushed to the market.
The Association said it is embarking on a sensitisation tour to the Ugep cassava farmers and processors to caution them about the inherent dangers.
Garri, is a by-product of cassava which is considered too dangerous for consumption and poisonous as it contains cyanide when not processed properly.
