MANILA, Philippines — A group of Filipino-Chinese businessmen is urging the government to train durian plantation owners and packaging factories to study Chinese food standards to help the country tap potential demand from China.
During the Pandesal Forum Saturday, Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) Henry Lim Bon Liong said President Marcos’ state visit to China opened doors of opportunities to further strengthen the two countries’ ties.
“We greatly appreciate the initiatives of our two countries to render stronger support to each other’s national development goals through a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation,” Bon Liong said.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) earlier said the Philippine delegation to China pushed for an increase in the number of Philippine fresh produce with access to the Chinese market and confirmed that the market for durian fruit is now open to Philippine exporters and Chinese importers.
“Following the signing of the protocol on market access for Philippine durian to China, participating companies conveyed purchase intentions for Philippine fruits of as much as $2.09 billion,” the DTI said.
It said a total of $1.72 billion worth of investment pledges was gathered in areas such as durian production, processing and marketing, coconut and other food processing, as well as on alternative green technology for animal feeds, and other agricultural products.
“We want to tap this huge market for our Philippine fruits like durian,” Bon Liong said, adding that China is the world’s largest importer of durian.
“Since last year, China has turned to “durian diplomacy” to boost ties with Southeast Asia – where durian is called the “King of Fruits” – by importing more durian from the region,” he said.
Bon Liong cited that the neighboring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam are already exporting fresh durian to China, while Cambodia is exporting frozen durian.
“It is now the Philippines’ turn to export durian to China, “ Bon Liong said.
“Durian is a fruit with high economic potential. In 2021, the Philippines exported its first frozen durian to Australia. There’s a big market for it because it is highly nutritious with high protein, carbohydrates and vitamins,” he said.
Citing the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Bon Liong said the Davao region is the top producer of durian in the country, followed by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and SOCCSKARGEN. He expressed hope that other regions could also plant durian.
“With these developments, we hope that the government – the Department of Agriculture and the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) will train durian plantation owners and packaging factories to study Chinese food standards; and also train the farmers on planting technique, using fertilizer, preventing tree disease, etc,” Bon Liong said.
“Our entrepreneurs and farmers need all the help from the government to meet and sustain the demands of the Chinese market. And we are excited to see this new trade opportunity finally become available for Philippine durian producers because we believe that our local durian industry can take advantage of and expand bigger from this opportunity,” he said.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) recently said it was 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.
It said that China would initially import $260 million of Philippine durian under the deal, with 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 committing purchases.