Ube exports suspension: overview
- The Philippines has indefinitely suspended fresh ube exports to protect scarce planting material and expand domestic production
- Processed products such as ube powder are still available, but supply constraints could make ube more expensive over time
- Global demand for ube is booming, with the market set to more than double by 2035
- The move aims to help Filipino farmers capture more value from the crop while protecting authentic Philippine ube from overseas competition and mislabelling
The vibrant hues and creamy, nutty taste of the purple yam ube have taken the world by storm, used in everything from coffees and cocktails to pastries and desserts. But just as demand soars, the Philippines has halted fresh ube exports because it doesn’t have enough planting material to expand production.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr said the restriction is designed to keep planting material in the country while the industry builds production capacity.
The Department of Agriculture in the world’s leading producer said in a statement that it has “indefinitely suspended exports of fresh purple yam, or ube, to shore up scarce planting material as the Philippines seeks to expand domestic production and turn the crop into a bigger export earner”.
The Philippines wants to sell more ube abroad, said the statement. First, it needs enough ube to sell.
It also wants to protect Filipino ube from being grown abroad. Existing tubers are used to grow new plants.
“We severely lack planting material ourselves and we don’t want to export it to countries that could use Philippine ube varieties to compete with us,” says Tiu Laurel Jr.
How will the suspension affect F&B?
The global ube market was valued at $455.3m (€406.2m) in 2024 and is projected to reach $943.6m (€841.8m) by 2035, according to Transparency Market Research.
Primary destinations for Filipino ube include the US, UK, Italy, and the Middle East, with major brands such as Starbucks and Costa Coffee using the ingredient.
“The first distinction is that the suspension covers fresh ube and planting material,” says Alonzo Nieves, founder of ube supplier Philippine Ube. “It does not cover processed products such as ube powder, so there is still a route for Philippine-grown ube to reach international buyers. There has been some confusion on that and I’ve had at least ten buyers reach out asking if they would be barred.”
But while the ingredient won’t suddenly disappear, it may become more expensive and harder to get hold of over time until the Philippines shores up its planting material supply and puts it to use.
What is ube?
Ube (dioscorea alata) is a purple yam long that has been a staple Filipino food for generations. It has a sweet, nutty, vanilla-like flavour.
“One of its best-known uses is ube halaya, where cooked ube is mashed and slowly stirred with milk, sugar and fats into a rich, thick dessert,” says Nieves. “It is also familiar in halo-halo [a cold dessert made with crushed ice, evaporated milk and ube jam], ice cream, cakes and kakanin, our rice-based sweets.
"For many Filipinos, it is connected to celebrations, family cooking and familiar treats. Ube may be a new discovery for an overseas customer, but it already has a long life in Filipino kitchens. When you’re walking around in the Philippines, ube is present whether you turn left or right. It is a ubiquitous part of life.”
What has caused the lack of planting material?
“Part of the pressure has come from a secondary market for planting material,” says Nieves. “So many people have wanted to start growing ube at once that new growers compete with food buyers and processors for the same available stock. But in the end, that tuber will need to be processed and consumed by an end buyer to complete the loop. That interest is encouraging, but the supply of planting material needs time to catch up.”
The Department of Agriculture has described the shortage as severe, says Nieves. “It is a particularly important constraint for new growers and farmers trying to expand.”
How will the suspension affect Filipino farmers?
According to a 2026 report from the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS), Philippine ube production is modest at less than 12,500 metric tons in 2025, with “significant room for expansion given growing domestic and international demand”.
This is down from 14,150 metric tons in 2021 , showing the decline in production that led to the export suspension. Among other factors, the report identifies post-harvest losses due to poor infrastructure and fragmented farm production.
Supplying more planting materials will ultimately benefit farmers, but only if the infrastructure is developed to process it.
“We need to develop supply, processing and demand together,” says Nieves. “As more farmers plant ube, we’ll need enough processing capacity to turn their harvest into products that customers want, and dependable buyers for those products. We can’t encourage farmers to expand without also asking who will buy the additional crop, how it will be processed and where the finished product will be sold.”
Keeping the crop in the country only helps farmers if they have a viable market for it, he adds.
To remedy this, industry stakeholders have recently joined together to form the United Ube PH Association Inc, which aims to liaise closely with the government, advocate for producers and create a more co-ordinated industry where farmers capture more of the value.
Global hype but limited local gain
Filipino farmers are missing out on ube’s global popularity.
“What stood out to me was the gap between how much we were hearing about the global ube craze and the export figures being reported for the Philippines,” says Nieves. “Seeing ube appear on more menus and in more products abroad, you would expect that excitement to translate into substantial demand from the country so closely associated with it.
“The figures made me ask: how much of this demand is actually reaching Philippine growers and processors? I want the popularity of ube to show up in orders for Philippine-grown ingredients, and ultimately in repeat purchases from our farmers.”
Why did ube soar in popularity?
“The colour helped people notice it, especially on social media,” says Nieves. “Filipino cooks, bakeries, restaurants and communities abroad have also given people ways to discover and enjoy it. The diaspora has contributed significantly in its mainstream adoption overseas.”
It is also extremely versatile, he says. “It works across familiar formats such as ice cream, cakes and drinks; as well as savoury applications. The challenge now is to build interest beyond its appearance: what it tastes like, how it is grown and where it comes from. I would like that creativity to bring people closer to Filipino food and create lasting demand for Philippine-grown ingredients.”
Fraudulent ube
Another reason for value not reaching Filipino farmers is fraud.
“A lot of ‘ube’ abroad is purple sweet potato or dye,” says Nieves. “When another ingredient is sold as ube, a purchase that could have supported demand for the actual crop goes elsewhere. It can also put honest suppliers under pressure to match the price of a product that is fundamentally different.
“Purple sweet potato and ube are different crops. There is nothing inherently wrong with using sweet potato, colouring or a blend when the product is described accurately. The problem is misrepresenting what is being sold.”
Other countries such as China and Vietnam grow genuine ube, so it doesn’t have to be from the Philippines.
If food companies want to make sure they have a genuine product, “I would start with three questions,” says Nieves. “What species is this, what is the full formulation, and where was it grown? Ask for batch-level traceability and records that connect the supplied product to its stated source.”
A certificate of analysis is useful, he says, but buyers should check what it actually tested.
“Results for moisture or microbiological quality do not, by themselves, establish botanical identity or geographic origin. Where authenticity is in doubt, businesses should consult a qualified independent laboratory about testing. Colour alone is not proof. Buyers need to look beyond the purple photograph and the product name.”
Protecting heritage and boosting value
Protecting heritage foods is not unique. South Korea has preserved the authenticity and origin of regional gochujang with protected geographical indication (PGI) status, helping to prevent imitation products. And Japan has made great efforts to preserve quality and traditional tea-growing practices for matcha.
But the export suspension is unusual and an example of another action a country can take to protect its assets when global demand takes off, ensuring future growth and bringing value back to producers. President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr approved a P300m (€4.28m) budget for the ube industry in 2027 to strengthen production and organise the sector.
The government and researchers at the University of the Philippines Los Baños are also genetically mapping Philippine ube varieties for registration. “The work is intended to protect native varieties from biopiracy, establish crop authenticity in export markets, and support the development of higher-yielding and more resilient varieties,” said the government statement.
“Ultimately, I want Philippine origin to become something buyers actively seek out and value,” says Nieves. “There is an opportunity to build lasting businesses around ube, with more processing, product development and repeat demand here in the Philippines.”
