Manila, Oct. 14 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday it is beefing up support in Cagayan Valley to boost ube or purple yam production amid the Philippines' global export expansion.

In a news release, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the partnership with local government units (LGUs) is crucial to scale up production.

"By combining the DA's technical expertise and production support with the LGUs' capacity to mobilize farmers, identify suitable areas, and provide local support, we can accelerate expansion, respond to growing global demand, and develop a bigger export market that will translate into higher and more sustainable incomes for our farmers," he said.

In particular, the DA-Cagayan Valley is coor...