A violet revolution, but who profits from the ube market?

Ube craze is stressing farmers out

The purple yam is becoming a trendy ingredient in lattes, cakes and ice cream. Unfortunately for farmers in the Philippines, it’s not easy to meet growing global demand. CNN’s Stephanie Yang reports.

A violet revolution, but who profits from the ube market?

Ube (Dioscorea alata), popularly known as purple yam, has emerged as a global culinary phenomenon, with demand surging across North America, Europe and Asia. Despite the Philippines being the world’s leading producer of fragrant, dessert-grade ube, national production has declined from more than 15,000 metric tons in 2021 to about 12,483 metric tons in 2025. This paradox—rising exports and global popularity alongside falling domestic supply—has …