THE Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has distributed 60,000 ube (purple yam) planting materials worth nearly P2.6 million to 900 farmers across 60 groups in Bohol and Leyte, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Tuesday — its first large-scale distribution of the crop.
The initiative, conducted in partnership with the Philippine Root Crops Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops), covered key ube-producing areas in both provinces and forms part of the DA’s High Value Crops Development Program, which aims to boost root crop production and improve farmer incomes.
Ube, long a staple of Filipino cuisine, is gaining traction in international markets, with ube-flavored pastries, beverages and ice cream drawing a following in North America, Europe and parts of Asia.
“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.”
The BPI and PhilRootcrops also conducted field monitoring and validation to assess how the planting materials are being used, identify challenges and gather data to shape future interventions. The BPI said it continues to provide capacity-building and technical support alongside the distribution program.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. framed the initiative within a broader export strategy, saying the DA is working to identify agricultural products with strong global potential to help narrow the country’s annual agricultural trade deficit of more than $10 billion.
“President Marcos has tasked us to develop more export winners that can raise farmers’ incomes and create greater value for the economy,” Tiu said. “With ube now enjoying global recognition, we see an opportunity to expand production and increase exports.”
