United States allocates $34.1 million for Philippine ube production

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $34.1 million investment to bolster the production of ube, or Philippine purple yam, to secure supply chains for the American market. The funding, provided through the USDA’s ‘Food for Progress’ program, will be implemented by the nonprofit organization TechnoServe.

Rather than direct cash transfers, the project is funded by the sale of approximately 40,000 metric tons of US soybean meal. The initiative aims to support more than 12,500 Filipino farmers over a five-year period by addressing production bottlenecks. Key areas of investment include seeds, transport logistics, processing capacities, and cold-chain infrastructure.

The program focuses on improving the quality and reliability of the ube value chain, moving from plant to finished product. This strategic move coincides with the 80th anniversary of US-Philippine diplomatic relations and seeks to meet the growing global demand for the ingredient.