MANILA – The Philippines has shipped its first batch of fresh durian to China, three months after Manila and Beijing signed a trade agreement that is forecast to generate some US$150 million (S$199 million) worth of export revenue for the Philippines.

The Philippine Agriculture Ministry said 28 tonnes of durian from farmers in the southern Davao region were shipped to China.

Another 28 tonnes would be flown to China, and an additional 7.5 tonnes would be shipped later, it said.

The Philippines announced in February that it was poised to send in March an initial 7,500 tonnes of durian to China.

This was after the Philippines and China signed in January the Protocol of the Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Fresh Durians from the Philippines to China.

In a Facebook post, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said it was a “great pleasure” for him to witness the first shipment of Philippine durian to China.

“Only within three months, both sides worked day and night to finish all the compliance procedures and make the farmer’s dream come true today!” he said.

Mr Gerald Glenn Panganiban, acting head of the Philippine Bureau of Plant Industry, said 59 farms, five packing facilities and five exporters have already obtained accreditation for the first shipments.

Most of the certified farms are in Davao, the Philippines’ main durian-growing area, which accounts for 78 per cent of total output.

Davao’s production capacity has been estimated at approximately 50,000 tonnes per year, which exactly matches the targeted export volume to China in 2023. XINHUA