HOW COULD FILIPINO FARMERS BECOME RICH FROM NEW GLOBAL DEMAND FOR PURPLE YAM?

 HOW COULD FILIPINO FARMERS BECOME RICH FROM NEW GLOBAL DEMAND FOR PURPLE YAM?

Let me say this clearly: ube is no longer just a Filipino dessert ingredient—it is now a global commodity.

From being served as ube halaya in our homes, purple yam has now entered mainstream markets abroad. In fact, in 2026, major global brands like Starbucks have started offering ube-based drinks, while retailers in the United States are selling ube products year-round. What used to be a niche has now become what many call “purple gold.”

So here is the big question: if global demand is booming, why are Filipino farmers still poor?

The painful truth is this: we are once again exporting opportunity instead of capturing value.

According to economists like Cielito F. Habito, our ube exports are rising—but our production is declining. From more than 30,000 metric tons two decades ago, we are now producing barely a third of that. Worse, countries like Vietnam and China are starting to dominate a crop that is originally ours.

Haven’t we seen this movie before?

We lost our leadership in coconut to Indonesia. We lost our edge in coffee and cacao. Even rice—once our pride—is now something we import.

Will ube be next?

If Filipino farmers are to become rich from ube, we must stop thinking like raw material suppliers. We must start thinking like industry builders.

First, move up the value chain. Selling raw ube is the least profitable option. It is perishable, price-sensitive, and controlled by middlemen. But ube powder, puree, and processed products? Those are high-value, export-ready, and shelf-stable.

Why not organize farmers into cooperatives that process finished products themselves? Why not export directly instead of passing through layers of traders?

Second, reduce production costs. One of the biggest problems farmers face is the high cost of chemical fertilizers. This is where what I call the “Brown Revolution” comes in—using organic fertilizers made from farm waste.

If inputs are local and cheap, profits go up. It’s that simple.

Third, diversify income. Ube takes six to twelve months to grow. That is a long wait. But farmers can intercrop with fast-growing crops like sorghum or other root crops. They can even convert agricultural waste into products like charcoal briquettes.

In other words, ube farming should not be a single-income activity—it should be an ecosystem.

Fourth, fix logistics and market access. Many farmers lose money not in production, but in transport and marketing. Imagine if we had a digital platform that tells farmers where prices are highest, where demand is strongest, and how to deliver faster.

Why are we still relying on guesswork?

Fifth, invest in quality planting materials. Right now, many farmers replant inferior tubers, resulting in inconsistent yields. A national seed bank for ube—using tissue culture—could dramatically improve productivity.

Now let me raise a more controversial point.

Do we really have to rely only on small farmers?

Cooperatives are good, yes. But can we also explore corporate farming models? Companies like Dole and Del Monte succeeded because they controlled the entire value chain—from production to export.

Could we replicate that model for ube?

Or better yet, could we create partnerships between corporations and farmer cooperatives?

Personally, I would go even further. I would involve indigenous communities. I would encourage backyard farming. I would promote root crops not just as exports, but as food security tools.

Because here is the reality: anyone can grow ube.

Even in pots. Even in backyards.

So the opportunity is not limited to big farms—it can be nationwide.

But opportunity alone is not enough. We have had opportunities before—and we lost them.

The difference now must be execution.

The global market is already there. The demand is already rising. The question is no longer whether ube can make Filipino farmers rich.

The real question is this: will we finally learn how to capture the value—or will we once again allow others to profit from what is originally ours? 

RAMON IKE V. SENERES

www.facebook.com/ike.seneres  iseneres@yahoo.com  senseneres.blogspot.com  09088877282/06-16-2027