Ube production hits 16-year high in Q2

Philippine ube output rose 22.5% as global demand for the purple yam grows.

Ube production climbed to its highest second-quarter level since 2010, as the Philippines harvested more of the purple yam amid growing demand in local and overseas markets.

The country produced 1,681.67 metric tons of ube from April to June 2026, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), up 22.5% from the 1,372.91 metric tons recorded in the same quarter last year.

The increase comes as ube gains ground in international food markets, with the crop increasingly used in drinks, pastries and other products across the US, Europe, Australia and Asia. The Department of Science and Technology has raised concerns about whether Philippine production can keep pace with the surge in global demand, citing challenges such as limited planting materials and farming practices that need improvement.

Cagayan Valley led the country’s ube production during the quarter, accounting for 463.90 metric tons, or 27.6% of the national total.

The record quarterly output comes as the Philippines looks to expand an agricultural product that is gaining a bigger market overseas.

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