THE country shipped the first batch of durian to China on April 6 as part of the bilateral agreement in January, the Department of Agriculture reported.
In a statement, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the deal is expected to gain $260 million or P14.3 billion in revenue for the local durian industry.
The 28-ton durian cargo, which approximately weighs 28,000 kilograms, was sourced from producers and processors in Mindanao, and passed the stringent requirements of the General Administration Customs of China (GACC).
“Another shipment of 28 tons was sent off via airfreight, while 10 container vans loaded with a total 7.2 tons was transported via sea vessel, on Saturday, April 8,” the DA said.
Prior to the first batch of export, the GACC released the list of qualified facilities and farms that received the “green light” from the Chinese government.
This consists of five packaging facilities and 58 durian farms.
Following the signing of the “Protocol of the Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Fresh Durian from the Philippines to China” on January 4, the DA began preparatory measures including the support to durian growers and processors thus enabling them to meet the protocol requirements.
The DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) also assisted in the accreditation and Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) certification of the industry players.
The DA continues to provide assistance to durian growers including logistical and financial support under the Enhanced KADIWA Grant.