$34.1M US grant for ube industry to benefit 12k Pinoy farmers — DA

The Department of Agriculture (DA) welcomed the US$34.1-million grant from the United States to develop the Philippines’ ube (purple yam) industry, which is expected to benefit more than 12,500 Filipino farmers nationwide.

In a statement on Sunday, the DA said that the US grant is a five-year funded program that aims to strengthen the Philippines’ participation in the international food and beverage supply chain.

“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,” DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

“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.

The funding was announced Thursday by US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton.

The $34.1-million grant, amounting to about P2.169 billion, was awarded through the US Department of Agriculture’s Food for Progress Program.

According to the DA, the project will be implemented by US-based nonprofit TechnoServe, which is expected to provide technical expertise to support the ube industry’s 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 said.

The DA said the US grant complements the government’s P300-million initiative to expand domestic ube production to keep up with surging global demand, aiming to at least double output and lay the groundwork for wider cultivation.

This initiative was earmarked for the initial expansion of ube production, aiming to add 1,000 hectares in its 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,” the DA added.

The Agriculture Department said that this “twin initiative,” combining its domestic expansion with the US grant, aims to build a competitive ube industry while ensuring market demand does not outpace the Philippines’ capacity to sustainably supply the market. —Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/RF, GMA News