PH exports Davao durian to Aussie market

MANILA – The Philippines has exported its first frozen durian products from Davao City to Australia, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Thursday.

In a statement, the DTI said the initial shipment arrived at Port of Melbourne on March 2.

Davao durian products were imported by Aus Asia Produce Pty. Ltd., an importer and distributor of exotic tropical fruits, Asian vegetables, herbs, and other products for the Australian market.

Two varieties of Davao durian were included in the initial shipment —Puyat and Duyaya.

“Puyat is sweet with a hint of ‘bitterness’ as desired flavor amongst new generation durian connoisseurs. Whilst Duyaya has the most flesh of any durian I have ever seen in my life, and I’ve eaten many before and this is even more meaty,” Aus Asia director Thanh Truong said.

Further, Philippine Ambassador to Australia Hellen De La Vega said the recent shipment of the country’s durian products in land down under is a breakthrough and it could be expanded to other fruits and vegetables exports from Mindanao.

“The Philippine government continues to find ways to make available our food products here in Australia and we are working with stakeholders in government and in business to deliver premium variety to the Australian market,” De La Vega added.

The Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Sydney, which represents DTI in Australia, is also looking forward to bringing more high quality and world-class Filipino products in Australia and making them available to mainstream consumers.

Recently, the PTIC-Sydney announced that Filipino products are now available in mainstream retail stores in Australia through giant retailer Woolworths.

Woolworths has 60 stores in Australia.

Filipino brands that are available in Woolworths include sauces, mixes, vinegar, soy sauce, salty snacks, biscuits, and rice noodles, among others.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show that Australia is the country’s 18th largest export partner in 2020.

Philippine exports to Australia amounted to USD357 million.