Davao City’s premium durian fruit has entered another international market after a trial shipment of fresh fruit was sent to Muscat, Oman, on July 27.
The Department of Agriculture–Davao Region (DA 11) said this development could unlock new export opportunities for Mindanao growers and further strengthen the Philippines’ position in the global durian trade.
DA 11 witnessed the ceremonial send-off of 1.08 metric tons of fresh durian at the Eng Seng Food Products facility in Calinan, Davao City.
The shipment, valued at $3,000 (approximately P183,000), consisted of 56 boxes of fresh Puyat and Duyaya durian varieties sourced from Belviz Farm in Wangan, Calinan.
DA 11 said the fruits were exported by Eng Seng Food Products to Jeel Almaaly International in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, Oman, via air freight.
According to DA 11, the export is the culmination of six years of coordination between Omani importer Aziz Alismaili and Belviz Farm owner Emmanuel Belviz.
DA 11 said Alismaili first became interested in Philippine durian after learning about the quality and distinctive taste of Davao-grown fruit.
During a visit to Belviz Farm on July 11, he personally inspected the farm’s operations, sampled the produce, and immediately confirmed a trial order after expressing confidence in its export potential.
Alexander Sibuan, Agriculturist II of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of DA 11, told Edge Davao that the success of the initial shipment will determine whether Oman becomes a regular export destination for Philippine durian.
“The result of the trial shipment will determine whether the buyer will continue purchasing durians. That is why the exporter, the BPI, and the DA ensured that the trial shipment met international standards for durian. The farm source is GAP-certified and duly accredited by the BPI,” Sibuan said.
Sibuan described Oman as a new market that is still being explored, with the shipment serving as a market test rather than a large-scale commercial export.
“Right now, the Oman market is considered an exploratory market for durian. It’s more of a market test, and we’re hoping for a positive response from Omanis as well as from our OFWs in Oman,” he said.
He added that the growing presence of durian in Oman suggests strong potential for Philippine exporters to compete alongside other Southeast Asian suppliers.
“The importer is optimistic about the potential demand for Philippine durian in Oman. Thailand and Malaysia are currently exporting durians to Oman, which means there is potential demand for durians in the country,” Sibuan said.
Sibuan declined to disclose the export price per kilogram, saying the information is confidential between the exporter and the importer.
If the trial shipment receives a positive response from consumers and buyers in Oman, DA 11 expects it could pave the way for larger and more frequent export orders, creating additional income opportunities for Davao’s durian farmers and exporters while expanding the global footprint of one of the region’s flagship agricultural products.
