It is therefore clear that a significant amount of work remains to be done on the functional characteristics of native as well as modified tropical starches if they are ever to become competitive with corn, wheat or potato. While I do not wish to minimize the importance of agricultural research work on productive output, including yield enhancement and disease resistance, I do believe that a shift in emphasis is warranted if the goal of entering competitive world markets is to be realized. Work directed at product characteristics which make processing easier or more efficient, such as uniform-shaped roots or thin, easy to peel skins, make life much easier for the manufacturer. These are properties that the end-user requires and would be willing to pay for. Work on modifying starches to improve or broaden their functionality must continue aggressively, because the work on competitive starches never stops.
Tropical countries have a tremendous capacity to produce agricultural products.
Unfortunately, this wealth of resources has proven to be a double-edged sword. Historically, it has been relatively easy to export basic raw commodities to the developed world markets. Because so many tropical countries were involved in this trade, it was always a buyers market. Whole economies rose and fell with fluctuations in the basic commodities market. No strong tradition of value-added research and development was established.