“Poor man’s rice.” That’s how corn is regarded in the Philippines. Despite its affordability and the fact that it is a good source of fiber, many Filipinos do not consider it as part of their daily diet.
Citing the book, True Grit from Corn Grits: Food of the Champions, written by Dr. Serlie Barroga-Jamias, the National Food Authority (NFA) noted that many Filipinos will eat corn as rice only if there is no rice. The NFA noted that it is only in the Visayas where white corn is considered a staple food of 14 million, or 20 percent of the population. Corn was considered as poor man’s rice in the 1960s, when an episode of rice shortage forced many Filipinos to eat inferior rice mixed with rough corn grits.
Despite the rejection of the earlier version of the rice-corn blend, the government is bent on trying to, again, convince Filipinos to consider consuming it. The NFA and corn farmers belonging to the Philippine Maize Federation Inc. (Philmaize) conducted a taste survey of a new rice-corn blend, dubbed “RiCo,” last month. The goal, the food agency said, is to determine strategies that would widen the acceptance of corn as an extender.
Some consumers who have tried the rice-corn blend distributed by the NFA said it “tastes even better” than plain rice. The government is crossing its fingers that more Filipinos would develop a taste for RiCo because of its potential to reduce the country’s rice imports. Paddy production of the Philippines, one of the world’s top rice importers, is perennially short of anywhere from 800,000 metric tons (MT) to around 1 million MT (MMT) a year.
Data provided by the NFA showed that, in 2016, domestic consumption of rice was at 12.9 MMT, while production was 11.5 MMT, or a deficit of 1.4 MMT. The highest rice importations were recorded in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009 at 2.570 MMT, 2.6 MMT and 2.2 MMT, respectively.
The Philippines could eliminate the need for rice imports and save dollars by merely substituting rice with 10-percent corn grits, according to the NFA. Apart from doing away with purchasing rice from foreign farmers, the consumption of more corn—a more versatile crop that can be produced year-round—would also boost the incomes of planters.
The NFA is promoting the rice-corn blend as a health food. The food agency said it has lower calorie and carbohydrate content compared to rice. Citing studies, the NFA said corn also contains more vitamins, minerals and proteins than white rice.
President Duterte is taking the first step to “mainstream” the rice-corn blend by endorsing it as the country’s “new staple” on December 22. Government efforts to make it acceptable to consumers should not stop there. Information and a marketing campaigns must be undertaken to promote RiCo and make people aware of the health benefits and affordability of the product. The rice-corn blend could also be used in government feeding programs. These measures would surely be cheaper than importing rice.