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Fresh Philippine durian will soon be available in China after Davao’s pride passes quality test
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A team of experts organized by the Chinese embassy went to Davao region for a market access investigation into possible importation by China of fresh Philippine durian
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Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said he expects Beijing to approve import permits for Philippine durian after the team discovered the high quality and good taste of Davao durian
Fresh durian from the Philippines will soon be available in the Chinese market, according to Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian.
Xilian said a team of experts organized by the Chinese embassy went to Davao region for a market access investigation on the possibility of Chinese traders importing fresh durian from the Philippines.
“They successfully completed the risk assessment of the orchard harvesting, fruit packaging, pest monitoring, chemical control, COVID-19 prevention, and traceability system of durian in this area,” Xilian said in a post on his official Facebook page.
“It is expected that fresh durian from Davao will be permitted for import into China as soon as this year,” the ambassador added.
From 2014 to 2021, the Philippines was among the top 10 exporters of fresh durian in the global market, according to the Department of Agriculture-Davao Region. Davao Region, in particular, contributes 78% of the total durian production in the country.
China is the biggest durian importer in the world. In 2021, the country imported 822,000 tons of durian worth US$4.21 billion, an increase of 82.4% over the previous year.
In the first half of 2022, China’s durian imports increased by another 60%, making it the most imported fruit in the Chinese market.
Xilian said durian from Davao region is “high in quality and good in taste.”
He added: “It is expected to win the hearts of Chinese durian lovers. As one of the most lucrative agricultural products, the entry of high-quality fresh durian from the Philippines into China with a population of 1.4 billion will benefit hundreds of thousands of Philippine fruit farmers and greatly increase the income of local growers in the Mindanao area.”
Xilian said the embassy also expects more Philippine fruits and agricultural products to be exported to China, as the trade relations between the two countries grow even closer.
China over the years has been the country’s top import source and one of its top export destinations. In 2021, the Philippines imported Chinese goods valued at $26.8 billion, while China was the country’s second-largest export destination.
Meanwhile, the first-ever shipment of frozen durian from Davao City arrived in Melbourne, Australia, March of last year.
