The Philippines has secured $34.1 million in funding from the United States to strengthen its ube industry amid growing global demand for the purple yam.
The US Department of Agriculture awarded the grant through its Food for Progress Program, with nonprofit organization TechnoServe set to implement the project over the next five years.
The initiative aims to support 12,500 Filipino ube farmers by improving production, access to quality planting materials, and post-harvest facilities.
US Ambassador Lee Lipton said the funding will also strengthen the diplomatic and economic partnership between the two countries as they mark their 80th anniversary.
The Philippines produced 5,658 metric tons of ube in the first half of 2025, up from 4,838 metric tons during the same period in 2024.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 24, 2026
