The Puyat durian, considered the most delicious durian in the Philippines, took center stage at the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), which was held from Nov. 5 to 10, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai, China.

In an exclusive interview with China Media Group–Filipino Service (CMG-FS) on Nov. 14, Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz said that Chinese consumers have warmly welcomed Philippine durian.

He noted the long queues of Chinese people who want to taste the delicious and sweet Puyat durian of the country during the expo.

Philippine pineapples and bananas are also popular and sell well in the Chinese market due to their good quality and delicious taste.

During the CIIE, the Philippine Embassy in China and Goodfarmer, one of China’s leading fruit companies, signed an agreement to purchase pineapples and bananas from the Philippines, on Nov. 6.

Participating in the CIIE was a Philippine delegation consisting of Filipino officials from various departments and businessmen from 16 food companies, which showcased a wide range of the country’s products, especially agricultural products, such as bananas, durian, pineapple, and coffee, among others.

FlorCruz shared that CIIE is a “very important” platform to showcase Filipino products to Chinese consumers.

“Itong expo ay parang matchmaking o speed dating na nakikita namin, kumbaga, pumunta ka sa isang hardin ng isang park. Tapos, dito nagkikita-kita iyong mga potential lovers, mga potential partners ng aming mga small and medium size enterprises. Gusto namin silang tulungan na ipagmalaki sa China ang aming mga produkto (This expo is like matchmaking or speed dating. It’s like going to a garden of a park. And this is where potential lovers meet, potential partners of our small and medium size enterprises. We like to help them promote our products in China),” he said.

He added this is the 7th consecutive year of the Philippines’ participation in the CIIE and the annual sales of the Philippine delegation have been growing steadily.

In 2018, during the first CIIE, exhibitors generated sales of USD37.5 million; and by 2023, this will have risen to USD1.1 billion.

FlorCruz stressed that through the CIIE, the relationship between the Philippines and China is getting closer, and the mutual understanding and trust between the two countries are improving.

He believes that the importance of CIIE is not only in export earnings, but also in the countless benefits of expanding the friendship between the two countries.

The Philippines hopes to further increase participation in CIIE and other expos, and to increase the number of exhibitors, not only in agricultural products, but also in other products and services that Filipinos can be proud of, FlorCruz added. (PNA)