$34.1M USDA fund to boost PH ube in global supply chain

The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) welcomed a US$34.1-million (P2.1 billion) grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help develop the country’s ube sector, complementing a P300-million government initiative to expand production as global demand for the purple yam grows.

The five-year US-funded Food for Progress Program is expected to benefit more than 12,500 Filipino farmers and strengthen the country’s participation in international food and beverage supply chains, while the DA’s domestic expansion plan seeks to at least double output and lay the groundwork for wider cultivation.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. in a statement said the US assistance would reinforce government efforts to increase production, improve farmers’ incomes and foster rural development by connecting growers to expanding overseas markets.

“We are grateful to the US government and the US Department of Agriculture for this support, which will help us scale up ube production, meet growing global demand, realize the tuber’s potential as an export winner, and create better income opportunities for our farmers,” said Tiu Laurel.

This story was originally published by PortCalls Asia. Read the full story at PortCalls Asia →