Durian Photo: VCG

China said it will allow imports of durian from the Philippines after meeting certain requirements, read a statement on the official WeChat account of the Chinese customs on Monday.

The new rule, which gives the Philippines the same market access as Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam, comes after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's visit to Beijing last week, during which the two nations inked 14 bilateral deals spanning infrastructure investment and agricultural cooperation.

Among the deals were a Protocol Agreeing on the Phytosanitary Requirements for Philippine Fresh Durian Exports to China, paving way for durian imports from the Philippines.

As one of the most lucrative fruits that command a good price in the world's largest consumer market, access to the enormous Chinese market is a bonanza for Filipino durian growers.

Around 9,696 direct jobs and 1,126 indirect jobs will be generated after Philippine durians are cleared to export to China. Direct jobs include additional workforce in farm and packing facilities, while indirect jobs include those in packaging, logistics and other services sectors, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency, citing data from the Philippine Department of Agriculture.

At the end of 2021, China had been the Philippines' largest trading partner for six consecutive years, and its second-largest export market. China is also the third-largest export market for Philippine agricultural products, Shu Jueting, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said at a press conference on Friday.

At present, the Philippines is China's largest source of bananas and pineapples. Coconuts, avocados, and frozen fruit have also become popular imports, and fresh durians will soon be exported to China, Shu said.

The trade volume between China and the Philippines reached $80.41 billion from January to November 2022, a year-on-year increase of 8.3 percent, per data released by the MOFCOM showed on Friday.

Global Times