By Kenneth Marcos 
In the farms of Northern Mindanao, a humble local fruit once ignored by many is making a comeback. Researchers from the Department of Agriculture–Northern Mindanao (DA-Region 10) have developed new food products made from breadfruit, or rimas, that promise not only better nutrition but also new income for local producers.
With support from the DA’s Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR) under its Research for Development (R4D) program, the team created two value-added products — the Breadfruit Breakfast Blend and the Breadfruit Pancake Premix. Both are nutritious, easy to store, and have received positive feedback from taste tests in the region.
The Breadfruit Breakfast Blend is described as having smooth, light-yellow flakes that can be mixed with milk or water for a quick, healthy meal. Meanwhile, the Breadfruit Pancake Premix produces soft, sweet, and light-brown pancakes that have become a hit among local consumers during trials.
Financial studies also show that the products are profitable. The breakfast blend achieved a 26.16 percent return on investment (ROI), while the pancake premix earned 15.94 percent ROI — results that highlight breadfruit’s potential as a viable crop for small-scale processors and entrepreneurs.
Researchers say the project’s success could help reintroduce breadfruit as a “climate-smart crop,” known for its resilience to changing weather and its ability to thrive in different soil conditions. Breadfruit trees bear abundant fruit with minimal care, making them ideal for farmers affected by drought or typhoons.
By turning this traditional crop into modern, market-ready products, the DA hopes to reduce the country’s dependence on imported staples such as wheat and rice. At the same time, it opens up opportunities for local communities to produce and sell affordable, homegrown food.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader push to strengthen food security and promote agricultural innovation under the “Bagong Pilipinas” framework. Through projects like this, the DA aims to support farmers, food processors, and microenterprises in finding new uses for indigenous crops.
As more Filipino households look for affordable and nutritious breakfast options, the humble rimas could soon find its way back to Filipino tables — this time, in a modern and delicious form.
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