By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA, Philippines — That common root crop known as ube, often used as the main ingredient for halaya and an ingredient in ginatang halu-halo, is now the new matcha.
In several reports in Singapore, local ube has featured the increasing market demand for the lowly root crop (Dioscorea alata), also known as purple yam.
And the government is set to allocate P300 million to expand its market value by upgrading its production, mainly in Isabela province, to respond to the demand and enhance its marketability.
According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the initiative for its expansion funds has been prompted by significant data that showed exports of ube have reached more than 12,483 metric tons in the previous year.
ia/xf
