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Ulu project is about what ulu contains — it’s gluten free, says Papali’i

“Is there really a market out there for ulu? No, there is not. What there is a market for is not the ulu but what the ulu contains. Ulu is gluten free,” says Papali’i Dr. Failautusi Avegalio, who was responding to comments made by Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture Peter Gurr who indicated that he is not supportive of the Ulu Project that the Hawaii Pacific Business Center Program at University of Hawaii- Manoa is looking at developing and commercializing in the territory.

 

Gurr’s comments were made before the Fono during their FY 2016 budget hearings last week.

 

According to Papali’i the market for gluten free products in 2016 is projected at 15 billion by Mintel Group Ltd, a privately owned London based market research firm and this year (2015) the demand for gluten free products in Japan alone is 15 billion. He noted that it’s not uncommon for officials of agencies, organizations and institutions to assume that Pacific Business Center Program (PBCP) is purely a program ‘for business technical assistance’ with an emphasis on profit and return on investment.

 

A most logical assumption, Papali’i stated. However, he said, the primary difference PBCP has over other economic development and business technical assistance programs and government economic development agencies is its holistic vision and strategies. “It is not unusual for the PBCP Director to encounter vociferous differences with other business program leaders who are purely economic thinkers... an attitude that is sadly becoming more evident among economic, business and technical advisors to Pacific leaders who put profit as the measure of success over quality of life.”

 

Papali’i went on to say that PBCP staff tracks emerging markets as well as social and other opportunities to engage its holistic development approaches and strategies. Much of the development in the Pacific is narrowly focused on for-profit and return on investment initiatives, at the expense of other equally important factors, i.e., the environment, health, education, culture, etc., critical elements for sustainability and quality of life.

 

“Love and respect of the people, cultures and environments of the islands are the foundation of a holistic vision that today is the driving energy of the PBCP,” he said.

 

“PBCP has a track record to counter any all assertions that the program does not take the interest of local people and local governments at heart.”

 

Regarding the research, Papali’i said the Research and Development project is incomplete simply because it is still ongoing.

 

“Until the final phase is completed, i.e. pilot testing in Manu’a — the project is not complete. Various key elements of the R&D process however, are completed. Astonishing results, particularly in product development within the past several months mega leaped the R&D to the pilot testing phase ahead of schedule by over a year. Initiation of the pilot testing is expected to begin next month, October, not a year from now.”

 

He pointed out the preliminary financial feasibility studies have been made, but are a work in progress.

 

There have been numerous attempts throughout the region to produce a breadfruit flour and products with limited success, he noted, “additionally, no strategy exists to engage remote islands as part of a system such as being proposed by the PRBI.”

 

He explained, “Be that as it may, university research and analysis of flour from the region indicate that such products are not yet ready for the U.S Market unless heavily fortified with added ingredients and focused on main island development, not outlying and remote islands.”

 

Papali’i said the concerns by Gurr regarding competing with larger companies that can harvest a thousand acres a day, is not yet a reality… but will be. The PRBI projects a six, possibly seven-year window when the hundreds of thousands of breadfruit plugs distributed to Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean are ready for harvest.

 

“What most such projections miss is that the greatest concentration of standing and fruiting ulu trees on earth, at this very moment, are in the Pacific,” he stated.

 

Meaning, the Pacific will have a significant head start in setting standards, branding, quality certification assurance and establishing meaningful market distribution and logistic links while the world is still trying to grow and understand the ulu. He said Samoa, as any country with the land mass and raw materials, can go big on ulu.

 

“However, bear in mind that without the technology for production, capacity to do so is limited. An island can claim the largest schools of tuna in the Pacific but without the technology to harvest and process for manufacturing and export, meeting certification requirements, value is limited to catching by fishing pole.”

 

He went to say that PRBI has — and continues to receive — interest in investments in the seven (+) figure range. Again PBCP is careful to vet the investor with a preference for Social Enterprise Funders vs. Investors per se, as knowing the difference will affect future generations.

 

Investors (for profit) seek market-driven opportunities for a profitable business based on a service or product that solves real problems. Investors emerging in this sector have indicated a willingness to take a lower financial return in exchange for their financial investment risk for those opportunities that can create significant social or environmental benefits.

 

Social Investors are compatible with PBCP’s holistic vision, Papali’i explained.

 

“While the rest of the world is planting and waiting for a mega harvest, the Pacific has generations of trees that are fruit bearing and naturally propagated on each island ready for immediate use. PRBI R&D in processing, milling, manufacturing and commercialization technologies are far ahead of any such development in the world and have already received requests from Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific on the processing, manufacturing and commercialization of breadfruit.”

 

“Combine the only raw material supply on earth, with the technology to produce a high demand quality product, and the opportunities are staggering. The fact that questions along these lines were never asked does not mean the information was not available.”

 

“Are there benefits for the people and government of American Samoa and the Pacific? Absolutely,” said Papali’i.

 

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