- Philippines adopts a market-led strategy to expand ube production and exports.
- DA has produced 420,000 ube setts and is seeking an additional 1.4 million.
- Government is investing in supply-chain and processing capacity to support exports.
According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the new programme is built around a market-driven production model in which production targets are determined by buyer requirements, market demand and farmers’ capacity.
The DA will provide technical assistance and quality planting materials, while local government units (LGUs) will coordinate grower participation and site identification.
Private-sector partners and institutional buyers will help ensure production aligns with market specifications.
This collaborative approach is expected to help expand production more rapidly, meet growing international demand and generate higher, more sustainable incomes for farmers.
“By combining the DA’s technical expertise and production support with the LGUs’ capacity to mobilise farmers, identify suitable areas and provide local support, we can accelerate expansion, respond to growing global demand and develop a bigger export market that will translate into higher and more sustainable incomes for our farmers,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr.
Laying the groundwork
As of 7 October, the DA had allocated PHP3.7m (US$58,929) to produce 420,000 ube setts, weighing about 100g each, through six research centres and stations.
It said that 211,180 setts had been distributed to Echague, Isabela, while the remaining 208,820 were scheduled for distribution.
The current initiative is expected to support the development of an additional 70 hectares of ube production.
However, a further 1.4 million setts would be needed to meet planting requirements.
The DA aims to fulfil this demand by December through intensified propagation efforts and additional sourcing beyond the capacity of its research stations.
Beyond production, the DA is also seeking to strengthen the industry’s downstream capacity.
It has identified needs in cold storage, mechanisation, automated irrigation, consolidation facilities, processing and potential carbon-credit projects.
According to Cagayan Valley Regional Executive Director Rose Mary G. Aquino, the region began laying the groundwork for a commercial ube export industry around two years before the crop recently gained wider international popularity.
A DA-funded facility at Quirino State University has been evaluating ube powder quality requirements for overseas markets and has already produced samples that meet Japanese standards with support from the Department of Trade and Industry.
The Philippines has also attracted interest from Korean investment group Carnot Fleet, which recently visited the country to identify development opportunities and infrastructure needs.
Building on this foundation, the region expanded planting material production and strengthened public-private partnerships.
Aquino said the initial target is 100 hectares in Isabela, with expansion to 500 hectares by 2028.
This follows news that the government was seeking PHP300m (US$4.77m) to expansion ube production.
The program has identified ten varieties for large-scale production.
The DA said it plans to accelerate the supply of planting materials through minisett propagation, alongside tissue culture and single-leaf nodal cuttings.
Additionally, mother tubers will be sourced from existing production areas, with selected farmers and cooperatives serving as multiplier farms.
Planting materials will be secured to ensure sufficient supply for local production and prevent other countries from using Philippine planting materials to capitalise on the global demand for ube.
