Philippines announces raw ube export ban amid boom

The Philippines has announced a ban on raw ube exports as global demand grows for the purple yam used in coffee, pastries, ice cream and other products.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said last month that the government did not want other countries to use Philippine ube varieties to compete with local producers. Jose Zalde Samson from the country's plant industry bureau said there had been data showing tubers were being exported secretly, but he declined to give further details.

The move comes as ube gains popularity from Los Angeles to London, Seoul and Tokyo. The crop is sold as powder, extract, paste or frozen puree and is widely used for its purple colour and sweet, nutty flavour.

Philippine farmers are struggling to keep up with demand. Farmer-exporter Al Bonifacio told AFP that small farmers often lack post-harvest storage, processing facilities, marketing access and financing. He said ube takes at least nine months to grow, making it less attractive to farmers who need faster-growing crops.

Samson said last year's production was 12,483 tonnes, a five-year low, with industry officials blaming typhoons in key farming regions. Production was up about 17 percent in the first half of 2026.

The government is looking at ways to boost supply, including whether the growing period can be shortened to six months. Samson said the government had only begun promoting ube in the past two to three years as demand rose.