Fresh durian (Photo from Department of Agriculture Region 11 鈥� Davao)
DAVAO CITY 鈥� After its successful entry into the China market, fresh durian from the Philippines is now cleared for export to Egypt, the Department of Agriculture 鈥� Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) announced on Thursday.
In an interview, Flor De Hasmin Bayo, chief of the Plant Quarantine Service 鈥� Port of Davao (PQS-Davao), confirmed that fresh durian has gained official market access.
鈥淭here is no schedule for shipment yet, as the durian season is typically in July and August. However, it is good to hear that we are approved to send our durian to Egypt,鈥� she announced.
To facilitate shipment, Philippine exporters must ensure that Egyptian importers obtain an import permit through the Egyptian Agricultural Quarantine鈥檚 electronic system.
Bayo said all phytosanitary requirements have been complied with, and the DA-BPI will issue a phytosanitary certificate verifying that the durian is pest-free.
Shipments to the Egyptian market will only proceed upon the successful completion of these steps.
According to an article published on fructidor.com on May 18, fresh durian from the Philippines received official clearance for export to Egypt after nearly two years of technical reviews and bilateral coordination by the BPI.
The process began in June 2023 when the Philippines formally requested market access.
Since then, authorities in both countries collaboratively addressed requirements for pest risk analysis, phytosanitary standards, and export procedures, in conjunction with Egypt鈥檚 Central Administration for Plant Quarantine.
The new market access comes amid a surge in global demand for Philippine durian, with 14,156 metric tons exported in 2024 鈥� a significant increase of 199 percent compared to 2023./补辫濒听