– Ube’s surging global popularity is driving its transformation from a niche ingredient to a potential export growth driver for the country.

– The Philippines is intensifying support for ube cultivation by distributing over 60,000 planting materials to 900 farmers in key ube-producing areas in the Visayas.

– The programme is seen as a strategic move to capitalize on ube’s export potential and reinforce the country’s agriculture sector.

The viral popularity of ube, once a niche ingredient in Filipino cuisine, is transforming the crop into a potential export growth driver.

The Philippine government is intensifying efforts to develop the ube industry to capitalise on the rise of the strikingly purple yam.

The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) and the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops) have launched a large-scale initiative to boost production and farmer participation.

More than 60,000 planting materials,valued at nearly PHP2.6m (USD42,232) were distributed to farmers across Leyte and Bohol in the Visayas.

According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the materials reached 900 farmers in more than 60 farmer groups across 22 towns and cities in key ube-producing areas.

This broad geographic coverage reflects an effort to reinforce established ube-producing areas while expanding cultivation capacity.

This is the first large-scale programme of its kind targeting ube cultivation and is part of the Department of Agriculture’s High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), which seeks to increase production and improve farmer incomes.

This initiative signals a strategic shift by the government to prioritise the crop as a high-value agricultural product.

“As ube gains worldwide recognition, we must ensure Filipino farmers are positioned to take advantage of the opportunities it creates. This initiative helps provide the foundation for increased production, higher incomes, and a stronger domestic ube industry,” said BPI Director Glenn Panganiban.

Viral trend to export winner

From specialty beverages to desserts, ube-flavoured products have gained traction across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.

The appeal of ube, fuelled by consumer interest in novel flavours and visually distinctive ingredients, has led industry observers to describe it as “the new matcha”.

FoodNavigator reported that ube’s popularity has strained supply, leaving Filipino farmers struggling to meet demand.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government was actively identifying agricultural products like ube with strong export potential that can boost rural incomes and contribute to economic growth.

At the same time, it sees increasing ube exports as a way to help reduce the Philippines’ agricultural trade deficit, which exceeds USD10 billion annually.

“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has tasked us to develop more export winners that can raise farmers’ incomes and create greater value for the economy. 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,” said Tiu Laurel.

Monitoring and farmer support

Beyond the distribution of planting materials, the organisations have conducted field monitoring and validation activities to assess how the planting materials are being used.

These efforts involved teams from multiple BPI units, including research, supply, and internal audit divisions.

The monitoring aims to ensure that government support reaches intended beneficiaries and translates into tangible improvements in productivity and income.

It also helps identify operational challenges and collect data to refine future interventions.

Beyond material support, the programme includes ongoing technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives to help farmers adopt better cultivation practices and improve yields.