@Dr_Harnsaft
Actually, bamboo tube for field rations isn't useful, since it adds extra weight with no significant benefit.
Remember, troops of the Sengoku era carried raw rice or cooked rice balls as rations in cloth belts known as Koshibin (腰便). Swapping out the flexible, breathable (therefore prevent molds. its also why japanese people use straw barrels for rice and not wooden/bamboo barrels.), and lightweight cloth belts for the heavier rigid bamboo cases is like swapping out modern MREs for vietnam era C-rations.
In short, yes, they probably considered it, even before she started the Special Economic Zone, and tossed it out as silly.