Philippines begins shipping durian to China
MANILA, Philippines — As part of the fruit deal with China clinched by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in January, the Philippines shipped the first batch of durian to China on Thursday, according to the Department of Agriculture.
In a news release, the DA said the shipment of 28 tons of durian -- weighing approximately 28,000 kilograms -- was sourced from producers and processors in Mindanao.
Exports of durian to China are among the many fruit export plans under the $2 billion bilateral agreement that Marcos signed during his state visit to China in January. The deal also covers the shipment of other agricultural products, like coconut and bananas, among others, according to state news outfit Philippine News Agency.
During the same visit to China, the DA and customs administration of China signed an agreement for the protocol of phytosanitary requirements – a measure that certifies crops have been inspected – for the export of fresh durians from the Philippines to China.
Five packaging facilities and 58 durian farms have been greenlighted by the Chinese government for the shipment of durian, according to the news release.
The DA also said on Saturday that an additional consignment of durians weighing 28 tons was sent through airfreight, while 10 container vans with a combined weight of 7.2 tons were transported by sea.
“The deal is expected to gain $260 million or P14.3 billion in revenue for the local durian industry,” the department added.
Marcos told business leaders in January that durian growers from Davao -- which produces around 78% of durian in the country -- were ready to meet the demand of the Chinese market for the fruit, according to a PNA news report.
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