That's how much the overall food price index has increased in the last decade, led by an increase of 184% for cereals (FAO, 2008).
Breadfruit Facts
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History of Breadfruit
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Growing Conditions
Breadfruit has a wide range of adaptability to ecological conditions. It grows best in equatorial lowlands below 600-650 m but is found at elevations up to 1550 m. It flourishes at 21-32° C and does not yield well where the temperature exceeds 40° or drops to 5° C. The latitudinal limits are approximately 17° N and S; maritime climates extend that range to the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Optimum annual rainfall is 1500-3000 mm, but trees can yield regularly on Pacific atolls that receive 1000 mm. Deep, fertile, well-drained soils are preferred although some varieties are adapted to the shallow sandy soils of coral atolls. Breadfruit in Action The nation of Samoa is located roughly halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. Two thirds of Samoa’s workforce is employed in agriculture, with one of the most prominent crops being Breadfruit, or ‘Ulu as it is known in Samoan. Samoa is a center of Breadfruit diversity, having actively selected and cultivated Breadfruit for thousands of years. There are countless food uses ranging from steamed Breadfruit cut into bite-size pieces, to whole fire-roasted fruits that taste entirely bread-like. And Breadfruit is more than just a staple crop: the fruit, wood, flowers and latex have found numerous traditional uses in Samoa. To this day, Breadfruit remains central to Samoan culture. Common Names for Breadfruit árbol de pan, fruta de pan, pan, panapen, (Spanish) |
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