Philippines feeds China’s durian desire with imports from Duterte’s Davao city

‘High-quality fresh durian’ will soon be available in China, where the fruit is enjoying increasing popularity

Durian imports expected to benefit fruit farmers in the Philippines, win hearts in China as both countries enter ‘golden age of bilateral relations’

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Durian has been gaining popularity in China. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 8:30pm, 8 Sep 2022

Chinese durian lovers have for years been spoilt for choice, with various cultivars of the fruit from Malaysia’s Musang King to less luxurious Thai versions all on offer in the mainland.

Soon, they will also be able to savour durians from Davao, the hometown of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said durians from the Philippines had been given the green light for import into China.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) eats durian with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during a visit to Davao City in 2017. Photo: AFP

“Fresh durian from the Philippines will soon be available in the Chinese market, according to the results of an assessment conducted by a team of experts organised by the Chinese embassy recently,” he said.

The pungent fruit is likely to be permitted for export into China from Davao city on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao sometime later this year.

The ambassador added that the import of “high-quality fresh durian” from the Philippines into China” would benefit hundreds of thousands of fruit farmers in the Southeast Asian country while also winning the hearts of Chinese durian lovers.

The Davao region contributes 78 per cent of the Philippines’ durian production, half of which comes from Davao City, according to Abel James I. Monteagudo, regional director of the Department of Agriculture.

A Filipino farmer unripe durian fruits at a farm in southern Mindanao island. File photo: AFP