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The Philippine Department of Agriculture welcomed a US$34.1-million (P2.1 billion) grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to help develop the country’s ube sector
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The new funding complements P300-million Philippine government initiative to expand production as global demand for the purple yam grows
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US-based nonprofit TechnoServe will implement the project, providing technical expertise to support industry development
The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) welcomed a US$34.1-million (P2.1 billion) grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help develop the country’s ube sector, complementing a P300-million government initiative to expand production as global demand for the purple yam grows.
The five-year US-funded Food for Progress 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 P. Tiu Laurel Jr. in a statement 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, 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.
READ: DA ramps up ube production in Cagayan Valley for export
“By strengthening the entire value chain, we can turn ube into a more competitive agricultural product while fostering inclusive growth in rural communities,” he added.
US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton on October 22 announced the funding, describing ube as an important raw material for innovative food and beverage manufacturers worldwide, including in the US.
Technical support
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.
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 DA chief 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 hectarage, 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.
READ: DA suspends fresh ube exports to protect planting stock
