THE collaboration for research to enhance durian production capacity with New Zealand has been postponed, this was revealed by Councilor Marissa S. Abella, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture.
Abella said she was unable to process the city’s counterpart in the research thus the report did not meet the deadline of August 31, 2024, due to personal reasons. She, however, said the report had already reached New Zealand.
As of present, Abella expressed enthusiasm that a research partnership with the country on mangoes has been successful. She said that the research was conducted in a municipality in South Cotabato.
“Later on we could get that research for our mango industry pero [but] for the durian hopefully maybe we would try again in case makuha na pud nato ang [we could get the] research,” she said during the Aprubado sa Konseho on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Abella emphasized the importance of research on durian to boost its production in Davao City as the city’s durian does not yet have the same quality level as those produced abroad.
“So there is really a need for research to increase its export potential,” she said.
To recall, Abella said in April last year that there had been ongoing discussions about collaborating with New Zealand on research to enhance durian production quality in Davao City.
She said initial talks were underway for a joint research venture focused on high-value crops, particularly durian, with the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited. New Zealand is expected to provide approximately P15 million in funding, matched by the local government's contribution of P10 million.
She explained that the goal of the research was to ensure that the exported durian will not be returned to the city. This, following the recent return of durian shipments due to cadmium contamination from China to Vietnam.
Currently, durian from Davao is exported to 12 countries following the opening of Davao’s durian exports to New Zealand and Taiwan in 2024.
The largest exporter is China, followed by Singapore and Japan. The Philippines’ export markets also include Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, UAE, Korea, USA, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom (UK).
As of 2023, durian production in Davao reached 60,331.33 metric tons (MT), compared to 58,648.7 MT in 2022. RGP