Ube Buyer in Masbate

The Philippine Statistics Authority recorded 22 tonnes of ube produced in Masbate in 2025, from 13.94 hectares planted. That is 0.18% of national output and ranks the province 50th in the Philippines by volume.

Masbate ranks 38th by area planted but only 50th by volume — 12 places lower than its land base suggests. There is more ground under ube here than the output reflects, which is a yield gap rather than a land shortage.

Masbate volume concentrates in Q1 — January–March — which carries 59.9% of the province's recorded output, averaged across 2023–2025. This is measured on volume produced, not area planted, so it reflects when tubers come out of the ground rather than when they go in.

Largely yes. Most Philippine ube comes off the ground around the December-to-March window. Masbate plants mainly in the first semester, which puts a share of its harvest outside that peak. Off-cycle volume is worth more to a processor than peak volume, because it fills the months when everyone else has nothing.

Yes, but the economics change below a certain size. For Masbate we work with individual growers from 500 kg and with associations or cooperatives at any volume. Below 500 kg the sensible route is to consolidate with neighbouring growers first — we can help coordinate that.

We buy Dioscorea alata (greater yam) — the purple-fleshed ube used for halaya, powder and paste. Kinampay and its local selections are preferred where available for their colour and aroma, but we buy standard local purple types as well. We do not buy Dioscorea esculenta (tugui) or white-fleshed yam.