CHINESE Consul General in Davao City Zhao Xiuzhen said China and Mindanao's cooperation in agriculture had made “positive progress” thus far.
“Agricultural cooperation has made progress, with more types of agricultural products exported to China from Mindanao,” Zhao said in a speech during the 74th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China on the evening of September 21 at dusitD2 hotel, Lanang, Davao City.
She also emphasized that durians from Mindanao “won the love of Chinese people” during the 20th China-Asean expo, which opened to the public on September 19 at Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.
During the 20th China-Asean expo, the "Puyat" variety of durian from the Philippines emerged as the top-selling commodity, according to Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Dr. Ceferino S. Rodolfo.
Rodolfo said its popularity and demand surpassed other offerings at the expo and replicates the banana’s success as an export staple to other countries.
He also said the state visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to China early this year opened the door for the fruit's first shipment in April, with Nanning as the entry point.
Eng Seng Food Products, the first company to ship durian products to China, is also one of the exhibitors in the CAEXPO.
Notably, in the recent Davao City’s durian exportation to China on April 6, a significant milestone was achieved in Southern Mindanao as approximately 28 tons of durian were successfully exported through the Davao International Airport.
This marked the first-ever export of such magnitude from the region. The durian products originated from local producers and processors in the Davao Region that met the necessary standards mandated by the General Administration Customs of China (GACC), as a part of a $2-billion fruit export deal secured by Agriculture Secretary and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s state visit to China in January 2023.
As of August 2023, DA has already shipped 900MT of durian to China. Under the agreement, Durian Industry Association of Davao City (DIADC) president Emmanuel Belviz said they are expected to send some 50,000MT to China. ICE with reports from PNA