The Department of Agriculture (DA) has welcomed a $34.1-million grant from the United States to develop the Philippines’ ube industry, complementing a separate P300-million government initiative to expand production as global demand for the purple yam grows.
The five-year US-funded program is expected to benefit more than 12,500 Filipino farmers and strengthen the country’s participation in international food and beverage supply chains, while the DA’s domestic expansion plan seeks to at least double output and lay the groundwork for wider cultivation.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the US assistance would reinforce government efforts to increase production, improve farmers’ incomes and foster rural development by connecting growers to expanding overseas markets.
“We are grateful to the US government and the US Department of Agriculture for this support.”
“We are grateful to the US government and the US Department of Agriculture for this support, which will help us scale up ube production, meet growing global demand, realize the tuber’s potential as an export winner, and create better income opportunities for our farmers,” said Tiu Laurel.
“By strengthening the entire value chain, we can turn ube into a more competitive agricultural product while fostering inclusive growth in rural communities,” the agriculture chief added.
The US government, through the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food for Progress Program, awarded the $34.1 million, equivalent to about P2.1 billion, for the development of the Philippine ube value chain.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton announced the funding describing ube as an important raw material for innovative food and beverage manufacturers worldwide, including in the US.
US-based nonprofit TechnoServe will implement the project, providing technical expertise to support industry development.
The initiative will be financed through proceeds from the sale of nearly 40,000 metric tons of American soybean meal, linking US agricultural exports with Philippine agricultural development.
The DA had earlier earmarked P300 million for the initial expansion of ube production, targeting a doubling of the area currently planted to the crop. The first phase forms part of a broader plan to add 1,000 hectares in the first year.
The department is budgeting about P850,000 per hectare for farm development, support facilities, and production. The initial rollout is timed for the November 2026 harvest and propagation cycle, with 10 ube varieties identified for large-scale cultivation.
“The government intends to expand the industry gradually as Philippine ube gains international attention.”
Tiu Laurel said the government intends to expand the industry gradually as Philippine ube gains international attention, avoiding the supply imbalances and production problems that have affected other high-value crops following sudden surges in overseas demand.
The agriculture head had earlier underscored that the government is developing the ube industry at a steady pace to limit, if not avoid, the missteps the Philippines made with previous high-value crops that drew strong overseas demand.
The twin initiatives underscore the challenge of converting ube’s growing popularity into sustained economic gains. Beyond expanding hectares, the industry will need reliable production, consistent quality, and stronger supply-chain coordination to meet processors’ requirements and ensure that farmers benefit from export opportunities.
The DA aims to build a more competitive ube industry without allowing demand to outpace the country’s capacity to supply the market sustainably.
