The Durian Industry Association of Davao City (DIADC) is eyeing the expansion of durian farms to cater to the growing demand of the Chinese market.

“So hopefully, dahil sa tuloy-tuloy na pag-export natin at paglaki ng market sa China, we plan in the future to expand more durian farms, and to teach other farmers how to produce good quality. (So hopefully, due to our continuous exports and market growth in China, we plan in the future to expand more durian farms, and to teach other farmers how to produce good quality),” DIADC president Emmanuel Belviz said in an interview with China Media Group Serbisyo Filipino (CMG-SF) on Oct. 17.

“We tend to teach our members and other durian farmers how to produce good quality durian and how to practice the good agricultural practice in their farms so that they can pass the quality standards of the China market,” he added.

Belviz also assured consumers that they are producing good quality durian.

“The farms that we use to send to China have the approval of the Bureau of Plant Industry and the approval of the General Administration of Customs China (GACC), because the government endorsed our farm through them,” he said.

To ensure that durians being sent to China are of good quality, Belviz said they are following good agricultural practices.

“We follow good nutrient management on our farm. Every year we do soil testing, and we do nutrient evaluation in our trees,” he said.

The CMG-SF quoted the Department of Agriculture as saying 54,000 tons of durian are expected to be exported to China this year.

Elyven Idulsa, a farm supervisor at the Beviz Farm, said she was grateful for the benefits they are reaping since they started exporting durian to China.

“Malaki po talaga ang impact noong nai-export mula Pilipinas sa China kasi lumaki na po iyong kita namin, at saka lumaki din ang sahod namin. So masaya po kaming lahat lalo na ang pamilya ko (Exporting to China really had a big impact on us because our earnings and salaries grew. So we are all happy, especially my family),” she said.

She said their farm had already adapted to new technology to improve the quality of their produce and increase their productivity. The farm currently grows 20 varieities of durian like D101, Duyaya, and Puyat, which is characterized by its sweet, yellow pulp.

Earlier this year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the protocol for the export of fresh Philippine durian was already signed, paving the way for Chinese importers to source the fruit from the Philippines.

Manila and Beijing agreed on a protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of fresh durians from the Philippines to China between the Department of Agriculture and China’s General Administration of Customs. (PNA)