PH aims to double ube production as global demand surges

MANILA – The Philippine government is now gearing up for the expansion of ube or purple yam production in the country amid its emerging global demand.

To boost the Philippines’ export potential for ube, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is now seeking PHP300 million worth of funding for the initial expansion, with an aim to at least double the output.

In a statement Tuesday, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said this is part of the administration’s effort to maximize opportunities for Filipino ube producers.

“We want to steadily develop the ube industry, which has captured global taste buds, so we can limit, if not avoid, the missteps we made with previous high-value crops that drew overseas demand,” he said.

About PHP850,000 per hectare is aimed to be allocated for the initial rollout, particularly for the farm development, support facilities and production — just in time for the harvest and propagation cycle in November.

This funding is projected to double the area currently planted with ube, which is the initial stage of a broader plan to add 1,000 hectares in the first year.

For his part, DA Undersecretary for High-Value Export Crops and Agri-Fishery Export Development and Promotion Philip Young said this expansion is part of the agency’s measures “to build reliable supply chains around export-ready commodities and widen overseas markets for Philippine farm products.”

The DA, however, imposed a temporary ban on the export of raw ube or ube planting material to protect the local industry.

“To be clear, we are banning the export of ube planting material. Raw ube can simply be cut into pieces and planted, so essentially, what we are banning is the sale of unprocessed and untreated raw ube that could be used as planting material,” Tiu Laurel said.

On Monday, the agriculture chief said the temporary export halt is likely to be in effect until 2028 while programs for local ube alongside support for Philippine ube export products are being intensified. (PNA)