Purple Reign: Philippines Seeks to Keep Grip on Ube Throne

The Philippine ube has become a trend-setting sensation from Los Angeles to London to Seoul, with the humble yam's bright purple hue drawing lines outside coffee shops and bakeries and millions of views on social media. But keeping pace with the international boom has proven tricky for the archipelago nation's overwhelmingly smallholder farmers, with yields declining and some unable to commit to the plant's nine-month growing time.


