The Philippine government is stepping up efforts to expand the country’s ube industry, distributing more than 60,000 purple yam planting materials worth PHP2.6 million to farmers in Leyte and Bohol as demand for the iconic crop continues to grow in both domestic and international markets.
The initiative, led by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) in partnership with the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops), is part of the Department of Agriculture’s High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), which aims to increase production of the root crop and improve farmers’ incomes.
From June 15 to 17, BPI and PhilRootcrops teams conducted field monitoring and validation activities to assess how the distributed planting materials are being utilized and to gather feedback from farmer-beneficiaries.
The project covered 900 farmers organized into more than 60 farmer groups across key ube-producing areas in the Visayas. Beneficiaries in Bohol were located in the towns of Dagohoy, San Isidro, Lila, Cortes and Albuquerque, while those in Leyte were spread across Abuyog, Tacloban, Baybay, Bato, Maasin, Ormoc, Carigara, Mayorga, Palompon, Naval, Mahaplag, Kananga, Burauen, Calubian and Inopacan.
The distributed planting materials, valued at nearly PHP2.6 million, mark the first time BPI has undertaken a large-scale ube planting material distribution program.
The initiative comes as ube, long a staple ingredient in Filipino cuisine and desserts, enjoys rising popularity overseas. Ube-flavored products ranging from ice cream and pastries to beverages have gained a following in North America, Europe, and other parts of Asia, creating new market opportunities for Philippine growers and food processors.
“As ube gains worldwide recognition, we must ensure Filipino farmers are positioned to take advantage of the opportunities it creates,” BPI Director Glenn Panganiban said. “This initiative helps provide the foundation for increased production, higher incomes, and a stronger domestic ube industry.”
BPI said the monitoring exercise is intended to ensure government assistance reaches intended beneficiaries and generates tangible gains in farm productivity and income.
Field validation teams composed of representatives from BPI’s Crop Research and Production Support Division, Property and Supply Section, and Internal Audit Unit visited beneficiary communities to document initial results, identify challenges, and gather data that will help shape future interventions.
Beyond distributing planting materials, the agency said it continues to provide technical support and capacity-building activities to help farmers improve yields and tap emerging market opportunities.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government is actively identifying agricultural products with strong export potential that can generate higher incomes for farmers while helping narrow the country’s agricultural trade gap.
“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has tasked us to develop more export winners that can raise farmers’ incomes and create greater value for the economy,” Tiu Laurel said. “With ube now enjoying global recognition, we see an opportunity to expand production, increase exports, and help reduce the country’s more than USD10-billion annual agricultural trade deficit.”
With global interest in ube continuing to expand, agriculture officials see increased production as key to strengthening the crop’s value chain, supporting rural livelihoods, boosting export earnings, and enhancing the competitiveness of Philippine agriculture.
