Purple yam, locally known as ube, is a staple crop in Sugpon and considered as the town’s one-town-one-product (OTOP). This tuberous root crop is processed into wine, halaya, pastillas, jam, and powder for desserts and pastries, making it a sought-after commodity, especially in pasalubong centers. 

With the high demand for ube and its value-added products in the market, the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) Phase 2 awarded the FY 2023 Ube Production Project worth Php 1,256,816 to 45 members of the Pangotan Farmers’ Development Association, Inc. (PFDAI). 

Mr. Victor Ancheta, president of PFDAI, said during the Beneficiary Needs Assessment that they already established connections with ube jam processors whom they supply their produce with, such as the popular Good Shepherd in Baguio City. Thus, the agricultural interventions from SAAD are expected to supplement their purple yam production. 

Prior to receiving the livelihood project, training sessions on ube production as well as capacity-building for Pangotan farmers were provided to prepare them both for organizational and livelihood project management. 

During the training, researchers from Benguet State University (BSU) led the training and identified some of the purple yam diseases and pests that usually threaten the farmers’ production, including irregular tuber shapes, poor tuber quality due to bruises and scratches, discoloration, high incidence of rotting, worm-eaten, wilting of newly-emerged leaves, leafhoppers, and rodents.  Resource Speaker Dalen Meldoz of BSU Northern Philippines Root Crops Research and Training Center (NPRCRTC) recommended the establishment of a rapid multiplication nursery should the association plan to expand its market and increase the volume of purple yam it provides for buyers.

On the other hand, Ms. Grace Backian, Senior Science Research Specialist from the BSU NPRCRTC demonstrated the proper ways of preparation and production of planting materials and modern methods of ube production using the minisett technique, tissue culture, vine cuttings, and aeroponics, whichever is the most convenient and ideal for the landscape of the production area.

On June 8, 2023, the group received 15,000 ube cut setts (small whole tubers) and various farm tools. They planted the crop weeks after the distribution in a consolidated 7,600-square individual farms in Barangay Pangotan using the Minisett Technique that involves cutting the mother tuber into small setts to be propagated in their proposed communal area. With hardwork and proper planting techniques, the group expects to have their first harvest in January next year. Their initial yield will be intended for mass propagation and the succeeding harvests will be used for trading as well as processing of value-added products such as ube powder and wine.

Aside from ube, the Pangotan farmers also received FY 2023 Goat Production Project worth Php 605,340 as part of SAAD’s initiatives on farm diversification. The project includes 35 does and 3 bucks, including vitamins A, D, E, and Fenbendazole. Read the related story of Pangotan FA here: https://bit.ly/3TFn5um

With the high demand for purple yam in food processing as well as goat for its meat and milk, the Ube and Goat Production Projects awarded to the FA through SAAD are great opportunities for the association to build crop and livestock-based enterprises that offer competitive income and food access to the community. ###

Writer: Pearl Lovedyn A. Dacuag, DA-SAAD Ilocos Region Information Officer