DA to expand durian production

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is expanding the country’s durian production among other high value crops in the country after the Philippines secured a $2-billion fruit export deal with China.

China will initially import $260 million of Philippine durian under the deal.

“One of the focal points of the discussion is the durian imports by China all over the world. We are one of the sources that China wants to avail from and they have initially allocated $260 million to start off the project from the Philippines,” DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said in a statement.

Chinese companies including Dole (Shanghai) Fruits and Vegetables Trading Co., Ltd./Dole China, Prestige International Co. Ltd., Shanghai Goodfarmer Group, and the Dashang Group already committed $260 million worth of purchases.

Initially, the durian will be exported from the list of registered farms in major durian production areas of Davao City, Davao del Sur, and North Cotabato.

The project is expected to generate at least 10,000 direct and indirect jobs from the bilateral venture.

To meet and sustain the demands of the Chinese market for fresh durians, DA officials discussed the necessary measures with concerned regional executive directors (REDs) and Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) officials last Jan. 9.

“We hope and anticipate that this will be a major breakthrough that we should avail of and hope that we should be able to maintain a good relationship with China in the long run,” Panganiban said.

During the meeting, the DA Senior Undersecretary directed the REDs to immediately identify the potential areas for expansion and formulate the necessary work and financial plans to sustain the durian export.

In coordination with the BPI and the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) led by director Gerald Glenn Panganiban, the regional field offices will conduct capacity building activities, ensure the production of market preferred varieties, develop packing houses, and assist in marketing.

Panganiban said BPI would provide support in accreditation, Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) certification, and protocol implementation, among others.

The REDs are expected to present their action plans in the next DA Operations Management Group meeting.

Last Jan. 4, the Philippines and China signed the “Protocol of the Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Fresh Durians from the Philippines to China,” which opens up the Chinese market for an estimated amount of 50,000 metric tons of fresh durian.