The Philippines’s export of durian to China still “looks promising,” Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said Tuesday.
He was asked if the country’s export deals with Beijing were hit by maritime tensions between the two countries.
As of the moment, friction between Manila and Beijing in the West Philippine Sea has no effect on the two country’s agricultural relations, he told reporters in Malacañang.
“We have been shipping out durian to China and it looks promising,” he said.
“Ang food worldwide is still short. I don’t think it really has an impact as of the moment,” he said.
The Philippines began exporting durian to China in March 2023, around 2 months after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to one of the world’s largest markets.
On the sidelines of that state visit, the Philippines sealed a $2-billion fruit export deal with China, with around 54,000 metric tons of durian expected to be shipped.
At least 9,000 direct jobs and over 1,000 indirect jobs will be created by the agreement, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippine Huang Xilian earlier said.
Months after the initial durian shipment, the Philippines and China figured in several maritime incidents as Beijing continued to claim portions of the West Philippine Sea..
Manila has filed numerous diplomatic protests, calling our Beijing for using military-grade lasers and water cannons against Filipino-manned vessels sailing within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
