By JUNEP OCAMPO
Filipino durian growers and orchard owners are preparing to visit Thailand in mid-May to benchmark with their counterparts and uncover the secrets behind the production of export-quality fruits in massive quantities.
Dr. Pablito Pamplona, the country’s leading expert in durian cultivation, emphasized that May marks the beginning of the peak season for durian cultivation in Thailand, presenting an opportune moment for Filipino durian growers to glean insights from their Thai counterparts.
“It’s time for Filipino durian farmers, DA/LGU technicians, and investors in the durian production chain to visit and observe what the Thai farmers and government are doing to generate high income in durian farming, earning an equivalent of ₱1.5 million to over ₱2 million per hectare per year, which is among the highest in Southeast Asia,” he said.
Capacity problem
Since the Philippines shipped its first batch of durians to China in April 2023, Chinese buyers have expressed interest in sourcing the fruit from the Philippines. However, Filipino growers are struggling to meet demand due to limited capacity.
Government figures show that in 2023, Philippine durian exports to China totaled US$1.88 million, compared to Thailand’s exports of US$3 billion and Vietnam’s US$828 million. Vietnam, in particular, has been capitalizing on the growing demand, with exports reaching the US$1 billion mark in 2023 alone.
A protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of fresh durian from the Philippines to China has been signed between Manila and Beijing. The agreement has granted fresh durian from the Philippines the same market access as durian from Thailand and Vietnam.
Growing demand
According to global estimates, the market for fresh durian was valued at US$9.85 billion in 2024 and is expected to nearly double to US$15.43 billion in five years, most of which will go to China.
Yet amid this enormous demand, Dr. Pamplona said the Philippines could barely cope. And this is despite the striking similarities between Thailand and many parts of Mindanao, with their lands both suitable for durian farming.
“For comparison, Thailand’s annual production is 1.2 million metric tons of durian, representing 32.25 percent of the world production yet the Philippines’ production could only come up with 78,818 metric tons, accounting for only 1.98 percent of world production,” he said.
“Over 90 percent of Thailand’s durian production is exported, generating a revenue of US$4.4 billion annually,” Dr. Pamplona observed.
Low production volume
Dr. Pamplona added that while the Philippines has an export potential of US$150 million, it currently only supplies about US$1.3 million due to low production volume.
He observed that Filipino durian farmers are using technology that is 20 years behind that of the Thais. Hence, they could only produce an average of ₱60,000 per hectare, a measly sum compared to the ₱1.5 million to ₱2 million production value of durian per hectare by Thai farmers.
Dr. Pamplona also noted that durian growing in the country is predominantly concentrated in the Davao region, despite other regions such as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARRM), Central and Northern Mindanao, and parts of Visayas and Southern Luzon being suitable for durian cultivation.
“Seventy-five percent of our local production comes from the Davao region,” he pointed out.
Support needed
To compete effectively against their Thai counterparts, Dr. Pamplona stressed the need for support from the Department of Agriculture and local governments.
“Overall, significant improvements are required for the Philippines to enhance its capacity to produce large quantities of quality durian fruits for the global market, thereby alleviating high poverty rates in rural areas. One area requiring attention is the enhancement of technology utilized in the Philippines,” he emphasized.
Cathing up with the Thais
To bridge the 20-year gap between Thailand and the Philippines in durian production, Dr. Pamplona is leading a study tour for durian growers to learn and adopt the technologies used in Thailand.
“I am pleased that Inspired Learning Tours (ILT) is organizing study tour to visit durian farms in Chantaburi, one of Thailand's production centers and home to the Durian National Research Center,” he announced on Facebook.
The study tour aims to enable Filipino durian growers to document advancements in nursery management, innovations in land preparation to ensure optimal plant establishment and reduced immaturity period, as well as advanced techniques in pruning, fertilization, irrigation, and pest and disease control for enhanced productivity.