Global ‘ube’ craze sparks shortage fears

The global rise of ube — the Philippine purple yam often mispronounced as “oob” internationally — has sparked concerns over whether the country can meet a massive surge in worldwide demand.

The vibrant purple dessert ingredient has transitioned into the culinary spotlight, appearing in drinks, pastries and dishes across Europe, Australia and the United States.

New York City recently launched its “Ubeland” food festival, and a major international cafe chain introduced a seasonal “Ube Spring Drinks” series in the US, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Italy and the Netherlands.

However, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows domestic production has significantly slowed over the past two decades.

The Philippines produced 14,000 metric tons of ube in 2020, representing a drop of more than 50 percent from the 30,074 metric tons produced in 2006.

Bohol province historically leads the nation’s ube production, accounting for roughly 35 percent of the total output. But local farmers face severe operational hurdles, according to Marlon Tambis, director of the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center.

“First is the lack of planting materials,” Tambis said. “Based on our scoping studies, their production practices are really not very scientific. So, there is a low adoption of necessary recommended practices or science-and-technology-based practices, which we need to address to improve the yield.”

To combat the shortage, the research center — based at Visayas State University — partnered with Bohol Island State University to introduce advanced propagation techniques to local farmers.

The project, funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture and Aquatic Resources Research and Development, trains farmers in a rapid propagation technique called “minisett.” The process involves cutting a healthy, whole tuber into small pieces.

Traditional planting methods yield only seven to 10 planting materials per kilogram of ube. The minisett technique allows farmers to produce more than 30 quality planting materials from the same amount. Because these pieces are smaller, they require extra care and must be sprouted in a seedbed before being moved to the field.