-
The Philippines suspended exports of fresh ube (purple yam) as the government moves to address a shortage of planting materials needed to expand production
-
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the restriction is intended to retain planting materials in the country and prevent Philippine ube varieties from being used by foreign competitors
-
Fresh and processed Philippine ube products are already exported to Canada, the Middle East and parts of Asia, with the United States, South Korea and Europe identified as potential growth markets
-
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a P300-million budget for the ube industry in 2027 to strengthen production and organize the sector
-
Bureau of Customs informed of the export suspension and ordered plant quarantine stations to halt issuing phytosanitary certificates for affected shipments
The Philippines has suspended exports of fresh ube (purple yam) as the government moves to address a shortage of planting materials needed to expand production of the increasingly popular purple yam.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in a statement said the restriction is intended to retain planting materials in the country while the ube industry builds production capacity.
The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) announced the suspension in mid-August, covering fresh ube and propagative planting materials, regardless of shipment purpose.
“We severely lack planting material ourselves, and we don’t want to export it to countries that could use Philippine ube varieties to compete with us,” Tiu Laurel said.
The suspension comes as demand for Philippine ube continues to grow faster than farmers’ ability to expand production. Farmers face limited access to high-quality planting materials, which constrains efforts to increase output.
Demand is rising for both fresh ube and processed products, including powder, halaya, jam and paste. Philippine ube products are already reaching markets in Canada, the Middle East and parts of Asia, while the United States, South Korea and Europe offer further export opportunities.
READ: Ube rakes in $3.06M in exports, on the rise as high-value crop
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a P300-million budget for the ube industry in 2027 as the Department of Agriculture (DA) works to strengthen production and organize the sector.
Ube mapping
The DA, through the BPI and researchers at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, is also conducting genetic mapping of Philippine ube varieties for registration.
The initiative is intended to protect native varieties from biopiracy, establish the authenticity of Philippine ube in export markets and support the development of higher-yielding and more resilient varieties.
BPI director Glenn Panganiban said he had written to the Bureau of Customs to inform the agency of the export suspension as “an interim safeguard” while the government works on policy and regulatory changes to formally include fresh purple yams among commodities subject to export restrictions.
Plant quarantine stations have also been directed to stop issuing phytosanitary certificates for affected ube shipments, Panganiban said.
The DA is pursuing tissue culture, community-based nurseries and mini-set propagation to increase the availability of quality planting materials.
The government and industry have also formed United Ube PH Association Inc., bringing together farmers, processors, traders, exporters, researchers and other stakeholders.
The government’s strategy is to expand planting material and strengthen ube supply domestically before promoting exports, aiming to position the crop for international growth.
