Philippines halts exports of fresh purple yam as demand rises

The Philippines has suspended exports of fresh purple yam to protect scarce planting stocks as global demand rises. The indefinite suspension, imposed in mid-August, covers the crop also known as ube and its propagative planting material, the Department of Agriculture said in a statement on Sept 13. The aim is to build production capacity and turn the crop into a bigger export earner, it said.“We severely lack planting material ourselves, and we don’t want to export it to countries that could use Philippine ube varieties to compete with us,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.Philippine ube is increasingly sought by processors and overseas buyers, but planting materials needed to expand production are limited. Ube is processed into powder, jam and paste and used as ingredients in various products from cheesecake to candles.Exports have been reaching Canada, Middle East and parts of Asia, while US and Europe may be additional markets, the Agriculture department said. BLOOMBERG