美国农业部将提供3410万美元，支持菲律宾推动紫薯（当地称为ube）的发展，因为这种根茎作物的需求激增。
The US Department of Agriculture will provide $34.1 million to support the Philippines’ push to develop purple yam or ube, as demand for the root crop surges.
美国驻马尼拉大使馆在一份声明中表示，该项目将由出售近4万吨美国豆粕的收益资助，预计在未来五年内支持1.25万名菲律宾紫薯农户。该项目将由总部位于美国的非营利组织TechnoServe实施。
The project will be funded by proceeds from the sale of nearly 40,000 metric tons of US soybean meal, and is expected to support 12,500 Filipino ube farmers over the next five years, the US embassy in Manila said in a statement. It will be implemented by US-based nonprofit TechnoServe.
这笔资金凸显了国际社会对菲律宾紫薯生产日益增长的兴趣，这种作物因其独特的颜色而受到全球关注。然而，由于生产能力有限，这个东南亚国家难以满足不断上升的全球需求。
The funding underscores increasing interest in the Philippines’ production of the crop, which has captured worldwide attention for its distinctive color. The Southeast Asian nation has however struggled to meet rising global demand due to limited production capabilities.
为保护稀缺的种植种苗免受越南和中国等新兴竞争对手的影响，菲律宾最近暂停了鲜紫薯出口。政府旨在建设国家紫薯生产能力，将该作物打造成更大的出口创汇产品。
To protect its scarce planting stock from emerging competitors like Vietnam and China, the Philippines recently suspended exports of fresh purple yam. The government is aiming to build the nation’s ube production capacity and turn the crop into a bigger export earner.
美国大使馆还表示，紫薯项目将进一步促进与菲律宾的经济伙伴关系，菲律宾是华盛顿的长期军事盟友。
The US embassy also said the purple yam project would further boost economic partnership with the Philippines, a long-time military ally of Washington.