10 tons of the ‘King of Fruits’ to be traded in Davao City
At least 10 tons of durian fruit are expected to arrive by the middle of August in time for the Kadayawan Festival in Davao City.
Durian producers in all parts of Mindanao bring their fruits to the city where they are sold to domestic consumers and foreign importers.
This was revealed by Manuel Villanueva Jr., secretary of the Durian Industry Council of Davao City, during yesterday’s edition of the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM Annex at Ecoland.
Villanueva told reporters and online newswriters that among those who transport the bulk of their durian are farmers from North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Compostela Valley (Davao de Oro) and other areas in Mindanao where the so called “king of fruits” is being propagated abundantly.
He said this phenomenon of Davao City becoming the durian capital of Mindanao has been observed during the Kadayawan festivities, now extended the whole month of August for the first time.
Candelario “Larry” Miculob, chairman of the Durian Industry Council, earlier bared that 80 percent of durian produced in Mindanao are now exported to Singapore and a few other neighboring countries.
He said the country’s durian producers are eagerly awaiting the signing of a bilateral agreement between the Philippines and China. Once the business accord is signed, an unprecedented durian boom will occur.
Villanueva said that Davao City has become the trading center of durian in Mindanao. He said that durian producers from North and South Cotabato, Bukidnon and Compostela Valley are coming in to Davao to sell their produce because bulk buyers are in the city.
“Outside investors natin who wants to do business (in Davao), feeling nila safe sila sa Davao kaya dito ginagawa ang trading ng durian,” Villanueva added.
He said that they’re encouraging farmers to plant Puyat as this is the variety of durian that is most acceptable by consumers here in the country and abroad. This is why the bulk of durian production is Puyat variety.
The Durian Industry Council Association of Davao City is hosting the 6th Durian Festival happening on August 9 to September 9, 2019 at SM Lanang Premier.
Durian varieties in the Durian Festival includes D101, Arancillo, Davao selection, Pangyao, Mongtong, D24 and Puyat.
Seven big farmer members of the association are participating in the festival offering various fruits of the season like mangosteen, rambutan and durian. However, lanzones is expected to show up in the market by September.
