THE DURIAN Industry Association in Davao City (DIADC) noted that the Philippines exported 9,000 metric tons of durian (both frozen and fresh) to foreign countries in 2023.
Emmanuel Belviz, DIADC president, said around 4,700 metric tons of frozen durian and more than 4,000 metric tons of fresh durian were shipped to countries such as China, Korea, Japan, Hongkong, and the United States.
“This first quarter, more than 1,800 metric tons were already shipped. Hopefully this coming season, it will continually grow. Farmers have also seen how they have increased their profits in their export markets,” Belviz said.
He also said due to this development, farmers are now paying care and attention to their farms, making them produce two to three times more fruits than usual.
“Not like before, nga ginapasagdan lang ang farm kay local lang man, kung naa or wala’y market, okay lang. But the durian market is very lucrative at present. If you think 5 years ago it was just P20 per kilo, and now, Class A durians range from P90 to P105 per kilo,” he said.
He also stressed that China is still the biggest importer of durian, where the country exports about 83% of its produce.
“Hopefully this coming year, our market will expand. We already opened a market in New Zealand for frozen durian. A lot of countries have been inquiring as well, like the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan,” he added.
Belviz also mentioned that farmers are still coping with pests encountered by trees and fruits due to climate uncertainties, by using cultural practices like pruning, fruit trimming, and doing drainage canals, and mga chemical sprays to protect the fruits.
