The country’s rubber capital, the Province of Cotabato, is now into planting durian to help boost the Philippine’s durian exportation to China.
This developed after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Durians to China in January this year during his meeting with Chinese officials led by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Governor Emmylou ‘Lala’ J. Talino-Mendoza said there are areas in the province that are now into durian planting.
“I hope that the price of durian per kilo to China will be favorable to the farmers,” Mendoza said.
Durian growing magnifies the province’s agriculture sector. It can be recalled that the Department of Agriculture (DA) identified the Province of Cotabato as number one in Region 12, ranked third in Mindanao and no. 10 in the country in rice and corn production and other high value crops in 2022.
Last Thursday, Mendoza witnessed the ceremonial send-off of the 18 metric tons of fresh durian from Davao City to China at the Davao International Airport (DIA) Cargo Section.
Also present during the event were Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, Davao City Councilor Marissa Abella, members of the Durian Industry Association of Davao City (DIADC), Chinese investors and buyers, officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform 11, and other government agencies.
Marila L. Corpuz, technical director for operations of the Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11), disclosed that DA 11 is now looking into an expansion area to maintain the production of durian to meet the demand in China and one of these areas is Kidapawan City.
“We have so much demand in China. We are looking into an expansion area and we will partner with some investors to invest in production to maintain the yield,” Corpuz said.
DA 11 director Abel James Monteagudo said that DA 11 is also working on a five-year development plan for the durian industry that will intensify technical support and the provision of quality planting materials, fertilizer, pesticide, equipment, and tools as well as the establishment of post-harvest facilities.
“The first shipment contains 18 metric tons of fresh durian and we are hopeful that more locally produced fruits, including coconut and bananas, are to be shipped to China in the coming months,” he said.
