According to the Philippine News Agency, Philippine Department of Trade and Industry officials said at an online press conference on September 19 that supply constraints have limited Philippine durian growers to maximize their potential in China, and efforts must be made to solve the low productivity problem of Philippine fruit farmers and strive for a good share of the Chinese durian market.

Philippine officials said the potential for Philippine fruit exporters in the Chinese market remains high due to the huge demand in China as the world's largest market, but supply constraints are limiting the Philippines from making the most of these opportunities.

The 20th China-Asean Expo, held in Nanning, China from September 16 to 20, has once again brought huge business opportunities for Philippine products, especially durians, officials said.

Froilan Emil D. Pamintuan, commercial consul at the Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou, said that since the first batch of fresh Philippine durians were shipped to China in April last year, potential Chinese buyers have begun to consider sourcing the fruit from the Philippines.

"In fact, in the southern part of China, we have met some potential buyers who are looking for possible sources of durians, but due to capacity issues, Filipino suppliers can no longer serve them," he said.

Ceferino Rodolfo, undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, said stakeholders must work to address the low productivity of local fruit farmers to enable them to meet the demand of overseas markets.

"It's really a supply issue, but durian does have huge potential." "We really have to work hard to get a good market share in the durian market in China," he said.

China's largest imports of fruits are bananas, the former by volume, and durian, the latter by volume. The Philippines is the largest source of bananas for China, while Thailand and Vietnam lead the durian market in China.

"Our goal is to be able to have the same dominant position in the durian market that we currently have in the banana market," Rudolph said.

During his visit to China in January this year, Philippine President Marcos signed a fruit export agreement worth US $2 billion with China to promote the export of durian, coconuts, bananas and other high value-added agricultural products to China. On January 4, the Philippine Department of Agriculture and the General Administration of Customs of China signed the Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for Philippine fresh durian exports to China, opening the market for 50,000 tons of fresh durian from the Philippines. On January 7, the General Administration of Customs issued the "Announcement on Plant Quarantine Requirements for the import of Philippine Fresh durian", allowing the import of Philippine fresh durian that meets the relevant requirements.

Shu Jueting, spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce, said at a press conference on January 6 that by the end of 2021, China has been the largest trading partner of the Philippines for six consecutive years, and has risen to become the second largest export market of the Philippines. China remains the third largest export market for Philippine agricultural products. At present, the Philippines has become China's largest source of imports of bananas and pineapples. Coconuts, avocados and frozen fruits have also entered the Chinese market. Fresh durians will soon be exported to China.