Breadfruit as the New Rice

The Philippines is by and large a rice eating nation. Rice is served at virtually every meal. It produces about three-quarters of its own rice supply but is also the world’s largest rice importer! The USDA’s Economic Research Service estimates the Philippines will import a record 3.8 million metric tons (MT) of rice in 2024, mostly from Vietnam and Thailand. The Philippines government is required to hold a buffer stock equal to at least 9 days of rice in storage at all times, purchased from local farmers. It is permitted to sell aging stocks to private entities if it has been stored for over 3-6 months, and then must repurchase to fill the stockpile. But Secretary Estrella believes that breadfruit can provide an alternative, supplemental staple food with a better nutritional profile than rice and greater resilience to both natural disasters and impending climate change. The Secretary is even already thinking about how the breadfruit can be processed to appeal to a population hooked on rice, and sharing his ideas with local manufacturers. One option is to turn excess fruit into flour, which can then be used for baked goods and value-added products, such as an orzo-like extruded product that resembles rice – check out the photos below!