First shipment of PH avocados coming to Korea

MANILA  -The maiden shipment of fresh hass avocado from the Philippines is en route to South Korea and will arrive in about one week, reaping the fruit of the more than a decade-long campaign to gain access to the South Korean market.

The shipment consists of 3,040 boxes valued at $48,433 (P2.74 million), which departed the KTC Port Tibungco in Davao City on Sept. 30, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said in a statement. It is expected to reach Pyeongtaek Port on Oct. 8.

“This marks the beginning of a fruitful trade relationship between the two nations as the people of South Korea can finally taste the creamy and nutrient-rich hass avocados from the Philippines,” the agency said.

The DA closely coordinated with Dole Philippines and other plant quarantine regional offices to meet all the necessary requirements to deliver this commodity.

The government had signified its intention to export fresh hass avocado fruits to South Korea way back in 2009 upon Dole Philippines’ request. At that time, however, the request was put on hold because of the one-at-a-time pest risk analysis policy.

Big export market

Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) then started conducting the import risk analysis in 2012, which required extensive information on pest lists, cultivation areas, production volumes and postharvest management.

In February this year, APQA deployed two experts to validate the country’s implementation of phytosanitary measures production areas and packing houses to address quarantine pests of concern for Philippine fresh hass avocado.

Production areas/orchards of hass avocado and packing houses in Cagayan de Oro and South Cotabato were inspected. Actual operations were likewise observed.

On June 19 this year, the Bureau of Plant Industry and APQA finally signed the protocol on “Plant Quarantine Import Requirements of Fresh ‘Hass’ Avocado fruits from the Philippines into the Republic of Korea”. It took effect on Sept. 8.

“Hass avocados have become popular in Korea as the main nutritional ingredients for salad and sandwiches. They are available at leading retail stores and online markets, in fresh and frozen form, but are mostly from Latin American countries,” the DA said earlier.

READ: PH-Korea free trade a boost for agri exporters

Citing data, the DA said South Korea is the fourth largest destination of Philippine agri-food exports with agri-fisheries exports value totaling $574.27 million (P32.56 billion) in 2022.

“Despite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines recorded a 9 percent increase in agri-fisheries exports to Korea in 2022, generating $307.47 million trade surplus. The majority of the agri exports are tropical fruits (56 percent) in terms of market share,” it added