PH durian coming to China in March – Palace

NEW MARKET The Davao region, the country’s main source of durian, has reason to cheer, according to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as the fruit will be shipped to China starting March . INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will start shipping durian fruit to China starting March, Malacañang said Thursday, citing the The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI).

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said DA Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa informed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the scheduled export of durian to China during a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) in Malacañang on Tuesday, February 21.

The trade of durian in China followed Marcos’ state visit there in early January.

READ: Bongbong Marcos off to China for 3-day state visit

In its presentation, the DA-BPI said an initial volume of 7,500 metric tons (MT) of durian is ready to be sent to China and that the batch will be sourced from 59 different farmers or producers of the fruit, covering some 400 hectares of production area.

“President Marcos’ China visit last month opened the country’s door for more Philippine fruit exports to Beijing as he cited the agricultural sector as ‘at the forefront’ of the post-pandemic economic recovery strategy,” the PCO said in a statement.

It added that the President has told the chief executive officers (CEOs) from the agriculture sector in Beijing that the protocol for the export of fresh Philippine durian was already signed, paving the way for Chinese importers to source the fruit from the Philippines.

READ: Marcos told: Don’t set aside maritime row in state visit to China

The PCO said Manila and Beijing agreed on phytosanitary requirements protocol between the DA and China’s General Administration of Customs for the export of fresh durian from the Philippines to China.

The $2.09 billion in purchase intentions for Philippine fruit exports secured by the Marcos administration during the state visit also covers coconut and bananas, among others.

Marcos had said at least four Chinese companies had expressed their intention to purchase more Philippine tropical fruit products, especially durian.

Fresh fruits, including Cavendish bananas, have also been the top drivers for Philippine agricultural exports to China, according to the PCO.

READ: Philippines to export $260M worth of durian to China

Noting the agriculture sector’s vast economic potential, Marcos had assured business leaders that durian growers, represented in the meeting by the Davao Durian Industry Association, “have long waited for this opportunity and are ready to meet the demands of the Chinese market.”

The PCO said the Davao region contributes 78% to the total durian production in the country.

In 2021, total durian imports from Thailand amounted to $4 billion, more than triple the total Philippine agricultural exports to China in the same period, the PCO said.

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KGA