Philippines suspends fresh ube exports to protect planting materials

The Philippines has indefinitely suspended the export of fresh ube (purple yam) and propagative planting materials to address a domestic shortage of planting materials. The Bureau of Plant Industry implemented the suspension in mid-August to ensure that scarce resources remain within the country to expand domestic production capacity.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. stated that the measure aims to prevent foreign competitors from using Philippine ube varieties to compete against the country. The decision comes as global demand for both fresh ube and processed products—such as powder, jam, and paste—outpaces the ability of local farmers to scale up output.

To support the sector, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a P300-million budget for the ube industry for 2027. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture and researchers at the University of the Philippines Los Baños are working to genetically map native varieties to protect against biopiracy and establish crop authenticity for international markets.