Study spotlights potentials of ube as high value crop in Benguet

Yam or ube has been recommended as a high value crop by the province of Benguet and recognized by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Yam is still considered an underutilized root crop with a great promise as a safe and highly nutritious staple in the highlands. Its economic potentials have yet to be fully tapped.

The potential of ube in the food industries and staple was highlighted by Grace S. Backian, Senior Science Research Specialist, Northern Philippines Root Crops Research and Training Center, Benguet State University (NPRCRTC-BSU) in a lecture sponsored by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to promote local crops and agribusiness.

During the conduct of the Agribusiness Support for Promotion and Investment in Regional Exposition (ASPIRE), last January 25, 2018 at the Legislative Hall, Benguet Provincial Capitol, La Trinidad, Benguet, Ms. Backian said that there is an increasing demand by processing centers for chips, flour, starch, and purees made out of ube. She added that ube is also used today as ingredient of confectioneries, cakes, pastries and several delicacies.

In 2016, ube is produced in only about 32.75 hectares in the Cordillera, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

It noted that the emerging yam or ube industry of the region is faced with constraints such as limited production of preferred purple yam varieties, and lack of clean planting materials, among others.

According to Backian, these problems are being addressed through research and development, one of which is the Yam Research and Development of the Benguet State University. A rapid multiplication technique through the minisett technology is seen to help resolve the problems on clean and quality planting materials.

Minisett technology is the process of cutting the ube tuber into pieces. This is followed by treating the tubers with “dapo” or ashes. Usually, the ashes are mixed with 20 grams of fungicide before it is planted to a media with a mixture of soil and burned/carbonized rice hull. A sliced tuber can produce 10 planting materials, explained Backian.

She added that the planting materials can produce seeds of around 900 grams to reach the weight requirement of 1-3kg of tuber of yam.

The output that the minisett technology produces is a whole seed/tuber that will be used as planting material. The said technology was introduced to the Taloy Sur Ube Growers, a component of the Taloy Sur Multipurpose Cooperative in Tuba, Benguet, reported Ms. Backian.

Backian also mentioned that the purple variety is the preferred quality for processing due to its color in addition to its good shape, 1-3kg/ tuber weight and free from diseases/mechanical damages. These qualities are also preferred by the market.

Ube is presently a secondary cash crop for most of its growers. Benguet is the lead ube producer and the main source of raw yam supply for CAR processors and merchants.

The NPRCRTC-BSU study entitled, “Propagation of Improved Quality Planting Materials of Yam to Enhance Production through Minisett Technology,” was funded by the DA, which was a continuation of a previous research on the yam rapid multiplication technique.

“The main objective of the study is to strengthen the seed system of the yam industry through rapid multiplication technique using the minisett technology,” according to Ms. Backian.

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