The Department of Agriculture (DA) is banking on the creation of a private sector-led export group to help the government harmonize standards for ube (purple yam), helping the local sector capitalize on the commodity’s growing global appeal.

DA-Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Director Gerald Glenn Panganiban said the proposed ube exporters association is expected to be formed as early as this month, as the country races to secure its position as the premier source of the crop.

With assistance from the government, he said this industry group will help set standards for ube, including its shipment and marketing abroad.

Panganiban said the initiative is crucial to helping the industry meet strong demand, instead of allowing other countries to take advantage of its growth potential—as happened with nata de coco.

Nata de coco, which originated in the Philippines, was a popular export commodity during the 1990s. However, due to a lack of proper standards and the emergence of inferior-quality products, export demand shifted to neighboring countries in Southeast Asia.

“That is why other countries are now thriving. And that could happen to our ube,” Panganiban said in a chance interview. “We just need standards, science, and guidance from the market and exporters to make this work.”

Last month, the DA said it is also planning to establish a steering committee and technical working group for ube to serve as the industry’s coordinating backbone. The proposed public-private group would define the official scope of ube, standardize raw and processed products, and align quality requirements across agencies and exporters.

With improved coordination across the value chain, the DA said current yield levels of around 50 to 60 metric tons (MT) per hectare could scale up to as much as 500 MT.

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) noted in a report that persistent gaps in domestic ube production are limiting the country’s ability to capitalize on the crop’s popularity. In particular, the USDA said constraints in planting materials, fragmented smallholder production, and insufficient processing capacity keep the ube sector underdeveloped relative to its market potential.

“Addressing these gaps in a coordinated manner is critical to developing the sector's full potential,” the international agency said.

Apart from ube, Panganiban said plans are underway to harmonize standards for other agricultural exports, noting that these benchmarks are expected to be issued within the year.

Earlier, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the government plans to leverage sustained demand for agricultural commodities to maintain the positive momentum of the country’s merchandise exports.

Based on preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), agro-based product exports rose by 14 percent to $3.41 billion from January to May, up from $3 billion during the same period last year.